


Zaygam

by Hecallsmehischild



Series: The Resilience Saga [6]
Category: Invader Zim, Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Cannibalism, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Psychological Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:13:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 41
Words: 67,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7803295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hecallsmehischild/pseuds/Hecallsmehischild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Resilience Saga, Story 6. The Irken Empire has stretched long and far and wide in its time. The reign of its puppeteer threatens to plunge the universe into darkness. As Zim wrestles again with madness, and Riddick finds his home, the two must come together to face the creature that has tormented their kind for millenia, and free their species.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coming Under Fire

" _Protege me a malitia_!" A hoarse voice rang out across the darkened waste. "Zim! Stop!" A young woman with blond, spiky hair hit the ground as a green flash slammed into her, the spell barely holding against it.

Scorch marks splashed the ground all around the area. Great furrows had been raked across the ground, and here and there a crater. The battle had been going continuously since she had found him, naked and covered in green blood that wasn't his. She'd hoped she could spark some kind of recognition from him, but the moment she moved into view, he'd launched at her.

Now the moon hung high in the sky, the stars shining down, coldly illuminating the stark, green form that mocked her. It crouched nearby, laughing delightedly.

"Dead fish plays good!" He crooned. "Plays long time. Dead fish keep playing? Or lose now?"

Tunaghost lay where she was a moment, assessing the situation. No one had come for hours, not even to look, which meant something had gone horribly wrong. Most likely, she was on her own. There would be no backup, and no witness to even warn the rest what had happened to Zim.

"You're going to break both your sisters' hearts, you know." She growled. "Seeing what you turned into."

"Dead fish plays nasty." Zim's head tilted to the side, grinning. "But Zim doesn't care. Zim go play with sisters too, when you lose." His antennae twitched slowly, and his body began to glow green.

Groaning, Tunaghost staggered to her feet, readying another shielding spell. She wasn't giving up. He'd have to get through her to return to his family, and she'd give them as much time as she could. Hopefully someone would come.

Someone had to, she could only hold out for so long.

 


	2. Round Table Discussions

Della stared down at the table, absently tracing meaningless patterns on tabletop. _We were just here, a week or so ago, eating a housewarming meal with Zim. Now he's God-knows-where and out of his mind?_ She glanced over at Tom, who had taken to massaging his forehead—sure sign of a building headache. Beside her, Tiana perched on the edge of her chair, eyes wide with worry. Next to Tom, Mikko had taken a seat, slightly groggy from the sedatives, but awake enough to glare daggers at the strange new Irken. GIR—she now understood GIR had taken over Zim's base—kept a wire wrapped around Mikko's wrist.

"Masta said you 'specially might run an' get him." He'd explained, meekly.

A large gauze pad had been taped over her cheek. She'd refused to explain the gouge marks, but it was fairly obvious. Three parallel lines from the corner of her eye to her mouth. Zim had struck her.

The gauze pad didn't cover the hateful stare Mikko continued to direct at the Irken—Riddick—even after he had finished explaining the situation.

Silence now filled the room. The first to break it was Tiana, speaking up anxiously, "So, Zim's still out there. The whole world's looking for all of us, but he's still up there!"

"Yes." Riddick affirmed, before staring back at Mikko. "Look, I know you hate me, but staring through my skull isn't going to help. I apologized, something I'm not very used to, so hate me all you like. I don't care. It's not about me, it's about getting Zim back, which you care about if I'm correct."

"And what, _you_ care?" Mikko spat at him. "You just happen to find out he's your biological brother and suddenly you're his best friend? 'Scuse me if I find that hard to buy after you tried to kill him."

Riddick snorted. "What, you think I'm just some evil tyrannical jerk at all times? You don't know my life. You don't know what I've been through. I was at a point in my life where I didn't care anymore. But I have a few reasons to now, and I'm going to try and hold them."

Tom removed his hand from his head, nodding tiredly. "So, where do we look for him?"

"Sorry bigman!" GIR chirped from the ceiling. "You're a KEEPSAFE."

Tiana blinked. "Well maybe Mikko and I can go—"

"KEEPSAFE."

Mikko folded her arms, turning her scowl down at the table.

Riddick sighed. "Let me guess…"

"You can go do whatever you want." GIR affirmed. "He didn't say anythin' 'bout you."

"Alright," Tom rubbed his forehead again, "So GIR will take you to the surface—"

"Nope. Stayin' down here." GIR corrected him. "Too many people lookin' up there. KEEPSAFE."

"How's he supposed to go look for Zim then?" Tiana demanded.

"S'not gonna help anyway. Don' worry 'bout Masta." The cheer in his voice faltered.

Standing, Riddick tilted his head to address the ceiling. "Would one of the 'Masta's' bloodline be able to make a request?"

"Whassat?"

"If I'm able to leave, in order to bring Zim back—my brother, your Master who you apparently care about a great deal—I need to bring someone in this room with me. I can protect them and keep them sa—"

"Nope! GIR does KEEPSAFE like Masta says. You go do what you wanna do, all by yourself. Not gonna help anyway. Masta no need help no more."

That was the second time he'd said something like that. Della lifted her head, alarmed. "GIR, what do you mean by that?"

"Masta's PAK gone. Can feel it gone. Been gone too long now, Masta don' need any help."

The wind left Della in a rush. Ten minutes, everyone in the house knew that rule, it's one of the things Zim had explained about the PAK early on.

"So, what, that's just supposed to mean he's dead?" Riddick raised an antenna.

GIR's voice wobbled noticeably now. "PAK's got ten minutes. Been a lot longer since it's gone."

Della glanced over to Gloria, noting the drawn look on the other woman's face as she touched Riddick's arm. "Can you… are you able to sense him?"

Riddick glanced at her. "Down this low? No. I can't. But can I just say, Zim's a stubborn idiot from what I've seen. He doesn't give up. Him getting de-PAKed, if he did in fact, doesn't mean he's dead. I get the feeling, at this point, you could drop a nuclear bomb, and Zim would be like the cockroach that walks away." He was rewarded by the ghost of a smile on Gloria's face.

Some hope returned to Della. But Riddick didn't know Zim. Neither did Gloria. "And only an idiot bigger than Zim would go without taking someone who might have a shot at talking him down." She leveled a hard stare at Riddick. "But I guess the house rules say differently, right?"

"Mhmmm." Thrummed the ceiling.

"I see." Riddick turned again to the ceiling. "So, what's your name, GIR, was it?" He adjusted his cloak back, leaving his arms free. "I just remembered something. In all the excitement, in all the frenzy of burrowing, Zim actually implanted something in my mind to tell you. It's actually quite important, would you like to see it?"

Della frowned. Was he bluffing? Several wires extended from the ceiling, as GIR gasped, "Gimme! Show me!"

"Ah ah ah," Riddick held out a hand, palm up. "It's in my memory, but I can recreate it, like a hologram." A small red blob formed in his hand, taking the shape of Zim's head. The face frowned, opening its mouth, and Zim's voice issued from it. "Under extreme circumstances, this pre-recorded message is to be sent to GIR, my SIR unit."

Definitely bluffing, Della decided. But the ceiling gasped in rapt attention.

"I have instructed GIR to execute Operation KEEPSAFE, and if all goes according to plan, the operation should be successful, and all, as the plan name says, safe. However, this plan was created and executed without the input and knowledge of the one called Riddick, whose power and influence causes a loophole in Operation KEEPSAFE which I will call The Red Tie."

"Red Tie?" Gir murmured, confused.

"The Red Tie states that Riddick can be trusted with one person of his choosing to go up to the surface. He is fully capable of protecting them with shielding, and if he is there to demonstrate, I will pause so he may do so."

Riddick started, as if not expecting that, and replied, "If you say so." Holding up his other hand, he enclosed Gloria in a red orb for a few seconds, before dispersing it.

 _Bit of a showman._ Della thought.

The Zim head resumed speaking. "If his power is being showcased now, then it is either projectile, teleportation, or shielding, which are the three I've encountered. Projectile at its least as strong as any Irken standard laser. With teleportation he can ensure the escape of himself and anyone touching him. Shielding, which can withstand even the strongest Irken blasters."

The house listed to the side, throwing everyone off balance as GIR shifted uneasily. "Masta said s'okay…"

Riddick's fingers flicked slightly, as the head added, "And GIR, you are doing a fantastic job. Continue Operation KEEPSAFE with the Red Tie loophole, and I will return." Before it flickered out.

"Masta." GIR sniffled.

Della glanced at Gloria, wondering for just a moment if it was really her place to go, when Zim had been trying to connect with his birth mother. Gloria caught her silent question, and nodded her head, dropping her face down. Guilt and relief twinged equally in Della's heart. She stood.

"Then let's roll out."

A heavy hand held her shoulder, and she sighed. "Tom, I have to."

"He isn't safe." She could hear his underlying anger. "Look what he did to Mikko, and he loves her!"

"That's exactly why I have to go, Tom. I have to wake him up."

"I don't like it. What if you can't? What if something happens to you?"

"Then you can take it out on him if I don't come back safe." She gestured at Riddick. "But he's amply demonstrated he's capable of keeping me safe, so I don't see the problem." Her brows pulled together at the thought of Zim, wandering around out there, lost and confused. "I'm not losing him, Tom."

She felt herself turned around and drawn into his arms. "Just make sure I don't lose you." He murmured. She melted, holding him back.

Behind her, she heard Riddick muttering, "So it's either I protect you and bring back Zim, or I get hit with a frying pan… sorry I'm still not seeing the danger in that. Is that just sort of an acquired fear, or an intimidation factor?"

"You don't want to find out." Tom sighed, releasing Della.

A small camera dropped from the ceiling to the floor. "If ya do find Masta, we see what you see, kay?" GIR said hopefully. Della nodded, scooping up the camera.

"Hey Riddick?"

His face turned, finding Tiana. "Yes? Smaller version of the one that is angry at me?"

Tiana shifted. "Whatever Zim does when you get up there, he's not really mean. Sometimes he just gets really scared and doesn't know how to fix it."

Mikko turned away, burying her face in her arms.

Riddick tipped his hat. "I'll remember that. Thanks." He turned, walking over to Gloria, and put a hand on her leg gently. "I'll come back."

She took his hand, squeezing it. "Please do."

His mouth twitched slowly, in a motion he seemed very unused to, forming a small smile. "Perhaps then you can show me your garden." He tapped her head gently.

Her expression softened. "I would love to."

Impatient, Della tapped her foot. Of all people, she could understand what she was seeing, but Zim was in immediate danger. "Not to interrupt, but!"

Riddick sighed, walking toward her. "Sorry." He held out a hand. "Take my hand. Since we're underground and GIR won't take us, we'll teleport to the surface. I'm told the first ride is, well… quite one. So brace yourself."

Sucking in a breath, Della took his hand.

_We're coming, Zim._


	3. Twisting The Knife

Dawn had just broken when a flash of red burst above the ground, revealing a strangely marked Irken taking stock of his surroundings and a frizzy-haired woman in the act of keeling over.

Riddick coughed, rubbing his throat. "Flirk… I'll tell you one thing, that idiot has a set of pipes on him. I don't know how he does that gravelly, shrieky voice daily."

Keeping both palms on the ground for balance, Della looked up. "What do you mean? You did that voice?" She stared. "That wasn't part of your… whatever you do there?"

He shook his head. "I was in a circus for a long time. I picked up ventriloquism and voice imitation." He cleared his throat, and opened his mouth, a mockery of Della's voice coming out. "Look at me, I have a frying pan. You'd better be careful, or I'm gonna whack you with it, and it's going to do… something. Maybe minorly inconvenience you, oooooh!"

Staggering to her feet, Della muttered, "I pegged you for a showman. You're lucky I'm off-balance right now. So where's Zim?"

Riddick's head turned, as he scanned the horizon. "Wait." His head fixed in place for a moment, and his eyes unfocused. Suddenly they snapped back into focus, a serious look on his face. "If he's anywhere, he's that way." He gestured to the left. "Come on, no time for you to recover." Forming a red platform, he stepped onto it. With a flick of the wrist, he encased Della in a red ball, and both jetted down the sidewalk.

The scenery flew by, and Della shouted, "Aren't we wanted? This isn't exactly stealth! People are going to follow the crazy Irken and the lady in the red ball!"

"We don't have time to be bothered with them. Besides, we look like a red whiz of light right now, not there long enough for people to recognize us."

Della blinked. "Don't' have time… is something wrong? You picked up and left pretty fast."

He never looked back, staring forward as his cloak streamed behind him. "There are two opposing energy sources fighting on the other side of town. One is weakening fast."

"Zim." Della breathed, suddenly pressing against the front of the red ball, as if she could make it go faster.

"Relax," Riddick sighed. "We'll get there."

Not too much later, Riddick pulled them to a halt, dissipating the platform and red ball. They were in the wastes at the other side of town. Only a few rises and pits scattered the area, and all around were large black scorch marks. Riddick pressed a finger to Della's lips and whispered, "You don't have a high enough power level to be sensed. They may already sense me. I suggest you sneak around another way."

Nodding, Della made for a nearby rise, hiding herself at the base. From there, she would look for the next covered position, keeping an eye on where Riddick was. She flipped on the camera, holding it up to see what she saw.

Not far off, a crazed cackle sounded. "Is dead fishy tired? Wants to sleeeeep?"

An exhausted female voice stumbled over its words, "S-sim def-fensus... circum—AUGH—"

Riddick hear the sound coming from behind a rise, and snuck over, peering around it to see what was happening.

The yellow-haired woman who'd given him the undignified name was in bad shape. Bleeding from several gashes, her clothing and skin had been scorched by energy blasts. Green hands wrapped tightly around her neck, holding her down and cutting off her oxygen. Zim, completely naked and covered from neck to wrists to ankles in scars, grinned down at her.

"I don't think dead fishy needs a tongue. Zim wins, Zim gets a prize. Prize is dead fishy's tongue?" He giggled, as if this were the most marvelous joke.

Wasting no time, Riddick coolly waltzed into view. "Look at you. How long were you gone, just a few hours? And now this is what you look like?"

Zim's grin spread wider. "Ohhhh there he is, knew you'd come back to play." In one fluid motion he stood, bringing the woman up with one arm and flinging her several yards away. She tumbled across the ground, fetching up against the trunk of a stunted tree in a limp heap.

Riddick shook his head. "So what, Zimsanity just completely took over, did he? I'm still patenting that name, so you'd better give me credit." He mused lightly.

He was rewarded with scornful laughter. "I am Zim. Stronger Zim. Better Zim. Did you wanna play?" Zim tilted his head to the side. "I can play an' make you lose bad just by talkin' y'know. I can make you wish you never played a game. Just words. Or we play REAL games." He bared his teeth. "I'm real good at playin' now, any game. You pick."

"And what words," Riddick scoffed, "Could you possibly have that could rattle me?"

Slowly, almost sweetly, Zim drooled, "Meiiiiiistro would be so assssssshamed."

Riddick's mouth pulled into a thin line. "How did you find out that name?"

Zim's claws clicked together like pincers. "Little shellfishy told me."

"Shell… fishy?" Understanding darkened Riddick's face. "Oh of course. He would, wouldn't he? He'd give you my past as ammo. Think you can break me down emotionally?" He chuckled. "Well, bit of a newsflash, I'm not you. My head isn't the one held together by cobwebs. If you think you can break me that way, you won't."

"We'll see," Zim purred. "Where we start? How 'bout with the twins? The one taken away an' the one hidden away? An' the one hidden away who's taken anyway? Taken away, thrown away, found by the Master Meistro. Strange little PAKless Irken smeet, too far away to get there himself alive, taken in by the Master to be raised, yesssss? That how it goes?"

Riddick's fists clenched. "At least he found me. At least someone cared. What do I have to complain about, hmm? Sounds like I got the good end of the deal, didn't I?" He needled Zim.

Growling, Zim maintained his smile. "An' the Meistro taught him everythin' an' took care of him an' raised him in the circus with all the love an' care few Irken smeets ever get, yes, the one hidden away got the good end of the deal, 'til the owner demanded that special act. The one with the monster no one really knew how to control, even your precious Meisssssstro didn't know if he could pull off that act... an' he couldn't, could he?" Zim hissed, "How much green was there when it ripped him open? Did it spread everywhere? An' did anyone sssstop their running to help him?"

Stricken, Riddick growled back, "I don't know Zim, how did it feel when no one helped you in training? How did it feel when you had no one to be there for you, ever, during those years? I may have lost him, but I had someone. And maybe he would be disappointed in the path I took. Maybe it did turn me dark. But looking at you," he snorted. "I now realize how much worse it could have been."

Curling his lips all the way back, Zim bared his teeth, spitting, "Oh but we haven't finished have we? Because poor poor smeety, angry an' upset, gets a little visit. A little visit that gives him a special present, a special present that makes sure he can have revenge anytime he wants it. That night, soooo much green everywhere, wassssn't there? Ssssso much..." He tilted his head the other way. "How many did you say you took? One a month?" He laughed a low, dark chuckle. "Noooooo, noooo... you liked it... you liked the taste and the power, didn't you? Whenever you felt like it, wasssssn't it?"

Silence filled the space between them for a moment, one brother measuring the damage of his words, the other weighing the damage of the words about to be inflicted.

Breaking the silence, Riddick responded quietly, "Sure. I did. I'll admit it, I was and still am a monster. But here's a little fact, would you like to hear it, Zim?"

Zim bobbed his head, grinning. "What's that?"

Leaning forward slightly, Riddick stated, "She still forgives me."

Sucking in a breath, Zim rocked back, then leaned forward, roaring in Riddick's face. "THAT'S RIGHT. YOU. SHE FORGIVES YOU. YOU THINK ZIM DOES NOT KNOW THAT SHE. FORGIVES. YOU. THAT AFTER EVERYTHING ZIM DID, IT WAS ZIM WHO WAS CALLED MONSTER, AND _YOU_ SHE EMBRACED. YOU THINK ZIM DOES NOT KNOW THIS FACT? THAT SHE CHOSE _YOU_ TO HIDE, AND NOT ZIM? THAT _YOU_ WERE DEEMED MORE WORTHY, AND BECAME THE ONE EVERYONE FEARED, WHILE ZIM WAS DEEMED A JOKE, AND THE ONE THAT FEARED EVERYTHING? YOU THINK ZIM DOES NOT KNOW THIS?"

Unperturbed, Riddck snickered, wiping spittle off his face, and started laughing. "Well. While we're talking about the past, let's see. Yes, you were right, she chose to hide me because you were a noisy little brother, and she couldn't. Oh Irk, if the roles were reversed that could be me standing there, and you here. I know that. But poor, poor little Zim." He stepped forward, as Zim took a step back. "You seem to not want to think about the present." He lifted a hand, using it to form a mouth from which mocking words poured. "Mommy gave me away, training was awful, everyone thought of me as a joke. Blah. Blah. And Blah."

He dropped his hand, shoving his face into Zim's. "I want you to hear me when I say this. No matter what you say to me, to try and break me down, I know when this is done she is waiting for me. As for you? Are you going to let this be your fate? You talk big about how Miestro would be ashamed of me, well he's not here. But you know who is?" He hurled names like rocks. "Tom, Mikko, and Tiana. They are all here, and they are alive, watching you slowly spiral into a mad Irken, one that recently told me he never gives up. So. Zim." He cocked his head in the same direction, mirroring his twin's mocking grin. "Is this where is ends for you? Succumbing to his will, as the ones who care watch you slowly crumble? Or are you going to do what you should, and fight?"

As fast as it raged to life, Zim's fury vanished, and he settled back to the sand, suddenly placid. "Doesn't matter. Zim wins. You know why Zim wins?"

"Why is that, Zim?"

"She didn't know what you did. You just told her a little bit. You didn't tell her you ate them. And made them suffer. And heard them scream. And beg. And plead. For a long, long time." He raised an arm and pointed at a nearby rise, where Della crouched, holding the camera. He didn't even look up. "Who's watching, big brother? Who's listening? Who knows now you still gotta do it all'a time, an' you _like_ it? Mooooonster."

Cut, Riddick clenched his fists. "She'll forgive me." He said, half to himself, half to Zim. "I'm her son, and she'll forgive what I have done." He snapped. "And who says I still enjoy it now? It's not a matter of enjoyment, it's a matter of living. Have you told her what _you've_ done, hmm? I've been in your mind. You destroyed your own planet, you stole an innocent child's eyes, and organs from dozens more. And now, you're a raving lunatic that gave into the dark side. And you know what, she'd still forgive you, because you know why?"

Giggling to himself, Zim shook his head. "You don't listen very good. You still lost. Doesn't matter. She calls me monster cause I look like Daaaaaaanem." He rocked slightly. "Now I'm really a monster. Just. Like. You."

Riddick took in the details. Energy burns everywhere. An unusual power source, emanating from Zim. The Irken's back, bare of any machinery.

His voice hardened. "No, _you_ listen, Zim. Because no matter how twisted we get, no matter how dark of a road we've walked, no matter what we've done, it doesn't matter." He dropped his face toward his feet. "Because we're her children, and we're home. Don't you get it? That's all that matters to her, that's all that's ever mattered to her all those years. The hope that at least one of the children taken would find their way back to her."

He lifted his head again. "Look at us. Here we are, two survivors out of dozens of children who didn't make it past an operating table. Fate bent us and broke us, and it has bent her and broken her. And yet, she still lives. She chose to live, driven by the hope that someday she would find us. And as much as you think she doesn't care about you, she does. You aren't a monster. You're an annoying, chattery, confused," He paused, drawing on Tiana's words, "Sad...scared... Brother. My brother. And if I have to show you tough love to bring you back. I will. We got off on the worst foot possible, and it sent you down, but I will get you back, no matter what he gave you to match me."

"Toooo late." Zim crooned, standing to his feet and grinning. "Cause I'm gonna make sure you die alone out here. Just. Like. You always. Thought." Every scar on his body began to glow a brilliant green.

Riddick's eyes burned, his marks flashing bright red. "If I die, I'm taking you to hell with me. But I'm going to do my best to save your insane, green behind."

Roaring, Zim lunged forward, bright green light glowing in the palm of each hand.


	4. Red and Green

Riddick leaped back, raising his own hands as red walls jutted up from the ground, staggered in maze-like formation as some appeared overhead as well. "Let's see your obstacle course skills, trainee."

Not even breaking stride, Zim sprang to the top of a wall, immediately bounding to the next top. As his feet left the first wall, it lifted out of the ground and flew at him from behind. His antennae twitched, and he leaped up. He landed in the middle of the wall—now a platform—and let it carry him forward a second before transferring momentum into a launch toward Riddick.

Swiping a hand, Riddick directed a wall to plow into Zim from the side. "I won't make it easy for you." Six of the walls converged on Riddick, encasing him in a cube that lifted off the ground, floating up. He gauged the Irken on the ground, now rolling to his feet. He needed to see how much power he had now, and keep Zim away from him at the same time.

Zim locked onto Riddick, and beamed. His entire right arm glowed bright green, and he wound it back, arcing it hard and hurling a raw blast at the cube. It spun away, hitting the ground hard as Riddick was flung around the sides of the cube. As the spinning slowed, he flopped to the ground, keeping a hand up to steady the cube's form, and assessed the damage.

The walls of the cube sported great spiderwebbed cracks, and fragments had chipped off. Waving his hand, Riddick repaired the damage, grimly taking stock of the situation. Zim was strong, that much was clear, and he probably hadn't even tapped his full potential. But he was unstable because of his mind, and that, Riddick decided, would have to be his own advantage. Riddick had all his wits, and he would need to use them. Too many more direct attacks would demolish his shielding and strength.

Pulling himself up, he drew his arm back. Any extra walls still standing pulled back near him, morphing into spears, swords, and axes. With a grunt, he hurled them at Zim in three successive waves. "Dance for me, won't you?"

Zim spat, enraged at the taunting. Slamming his hands together, he drew them wide apart, a shapeless green light forming between his hands. This he hurled at the oncoming weapons. It passed through the first wave, and as it reached the second, he flung his arms wide apart again. The green blob expanded, flinging aside all three waves of weaponry.

"Wonderful shielding technique there, Zim." Riddick sniped. "So much for control of your power." He hurled more red weapons. "But the question is, how long can you keep it up?"

Eyes narrow, Zim held up his hands, palms facing Riddick, and began pouring out one long continuous stream of green light, aimed through the weapons directly at Riddick.

The weapons shattered, and Riddick leaped up, phasing through the ceiling of the cube and landing on top of it. Detaching the top of the cube as a platform, he rose up several yards as the rest of the cube was obliterated. "Was it something I said?" He twisted his wrists, forming red spheres and firing them at Zim with the speed of a plasma cannon.

_Keep on blasting that energy out. Exhaust yourself. It isn't endless._

Zim stopped the stream of energy and grabbed the nearest end of it, turning it like a giant whip on the Irken in the sky. Barely able to dodge the speed, Riddick continued to bait him. "You have power, I'll give you that, but you can't fly now, can you? I have the air advantage!"

Spinning out a series of platforms, Riddick began racing around Zim's area, flinging down orbs that exploded on impact with the ground. The first flung Zim aside, but his body shone with shifting, billowing energy. It was a rough shield, with no focus, but it repelled the blasts as he stood to his feet, sneering at the sky.

"Getting annoyed?" Riddick lifted his chin. "Good. How about some more?" He opened a palm, as tiny little red creatures flew out and began dive-bombing Zim, slicing at his shielding and emitting high-pitched noises. Zim swatted at a few of them, but as they continued attacking, he threw out his hands again, forming two roiling green whips and flailed at them, turning to snap them at Riddick.

_It's working. A little more._

Riddick leaped out of the way as the platform shattered, onto another he had waiting nearby. He landed heavily, panting a little, but taunted, "What's the matter? Still can't fly and get me? Come on, come get me, I'm right here you novice!"

Shrieking in rage, Zim crouched down, leaping upward. The ground under his feet collapsed into a small crater as he shot toward Riddick.

But Riddick was waiting. Forming great red bands, he hurled them at Zim, locking the first around his shoulders, and forming the rest into a chain from the first. Grabbing the end, he leaped off the platform as Zim crashed into it, plunging toward the earth and dragging Zim down with him. Riddick dropped to his knees on landing, pausing a moment to catch his breath.

Stunned by the collision with the platform, Zim hit the ground with a full-body thud, raising a cloud of dust. He wheezed, choking on the air that was no longer there for him to breathe.

Riddick's arms shook as he held them out, wrapping Zim in cuffs and chains around his kees, his neck, his feet, his hands, and sinking the ends into the ground. Forcing himself to stand, he wobbled toward Zim, groaning slightly. His antennae lifted as he heard Zim's wheezing give way to a breathless giggle.

"Good to see you laughing at your loss." Riddick muttered, sinking to his knees beside Zim. "That's what you get for going insane."

"Still thinks he's winning." Zim sang mockingly. "Isn't he funny?"

"Oh but I will win." He brought a hand up. "Let's go back in your head and knock sense back into you there."

Zim opened his mouth wide and screamed. The red bonds on him swelled, bursting apart as a green shockwave rolled off Zim, slamming Riddick aside like a rag doll. He tumbled over, smacking the ground hard as he came to a stop, stunned.

Staggering to his feet, Zim lurched toward Riddick, grinning widely. "Zim makes lots of green now too, and wins the game."

"That's enough."

Riddick shifted his eyes from Zim. Della had set the camera down, and stood in plain view of Zim.

_Oh no._

….

Her heart hammered at her ribcage as he turned to stare at her. There wasn't a spark of recognition in those eyes. It was Zim, but not the Zim she knew. This Zim could and would kill her in a heartbeat. But losing him had never been an option.

A bit of light flickered in his eyes, and for a moment, she had hope.

"I 'member you," he hissed slowly. "You ran awaaaaaaay scared silly."

Squaring her shoulders, Della replied, "And I remember you." She walked toward him, slowly. "I saw you for a split second when we just started to get to know each other, about seven years ago. Well, I'm not running now, am I?"

Tilting his head, Zim grinned dangerously. "Then stuuuuuuupid."

A groan from the ground drew her attention to Riddick, who pleaded, "Della, don't… don't understand… he could—"

"Yeah, I got it." She dismissed his warning, turning back to Zim. "I spent the last few minutes watching."

Zim crouched slightly. "Frizzy wanna play games? You're big part'a what makes us lose all'a time. I think we make you go'way."

"Not today." She took another step.

"Make you go'way, like the babies."

She faltered, her legs frozen not four feet from Zim. A sick feeling coiled in the pit of her stomach. Riddick had just had his past laid open as a weapon in front of him. But surely Zim couldn't know—

"How'd it feel?" He crooned, "Putting 'em in the ground? Never see 'em again? No more babies. Poor Frizzy. Poor poor sad Frizzy."

"Zim, stop." Riddick gasped, trying to get to his feet. "You don't want to go down this road."

"Can't have Frizzy's own babies, so Frizzy go gets other peoples babies. Stupid, silly Frizzy even finds pet guard dog to make sure her babies stay safe." He grinned, venom in every syllable. "Was I good guard dog?"

Della crossed the remaining distance in two long strides. Zim raised a glowing hand, but Della was faster. Her hand cracked across his face, sending him stumbling back, wide-eyed.

"It hurt putting them in the ground." Della grated out. "It hurt seeing them born dead. But you know what, it's why there was room for Mikko, and Tiana, and you. And none of you is any less my child than they were. So get your alien backside back to reality before I do something I'm going to regret!"

Zim stared, dumbfounded, one hand to his face. He barely noticed as Riddick, finally able to stand, plowed into him from the side knocking him down. He clamped a hand to Zim's head. "Time to finish this where it started."

Della ran over, grabbing Riddick's arm. "Don't even think about doing whatever you're doing without—"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder that Riddick belongs to ChikaraFiction.


	5. Salvaging Sanity

"—out taking me… along…" Della blinked as the wastes around her vanished, replaced by a dim cavern. The walls were pitted and gouged, and dripping with a foul-smelling liquid. She could barely see her hand ahead of her, on Riddick's arm. She held on, a little wobbly. "What… where?"

Riddick lifted a hand, a small red light flaring to life and lighting the area. "Zim's head. It's a lot worse off than when I was last here, but… that's a bit my fault."

"So you mentioned." She felt a small surge of anger, but pursed her lips, holding it back. "Still, you're back. Trying to fix it."

"Yes, I am." He took a few tentative steps forward. "If we're going to bring him back, we'll have to find him. Follow me, and watch your step."

She inched forward after him, moving carefully. She inclined her head a little, frowning. "Do you hear something?"

Riddick stopped, his antennae shifting. "Yes." He whispered. "Let's follow it… but be on alert."

They moved toward the sound, cautiously. The closer they got, the more definition it took on. It was certainly Zim, his groaning and straining mixed with a metallic clanking. They passed many gaping caverns, but when they reached the source of the noise, Riddick held up a hand, peering inside slightly. He nodded. "Alright. Here we go." And stepped in.

Della stepped through as well, and froze by the entrance.

_Oh Zim._

Riddick's self-made torch cast light on a pathetic sight. Zim's arms and entire upper torso had been bound in chains. Tiny silver chains, medium iron links, and thick, heavy, rusted bands. Chains of all sizes and shapes wrapped around his upper body and led out of sight into further darkness. He was positioned at a sharp angle from the ground, head down, straining forward with all his might. The ground at his feet, though hard, sported furrows all around from his efforts.

He looked up briefly, eyes landing on Riddick. His expression fell flat, and he sank to his knees, antennae limp with exhaustion. Hoarsely, he croaked, "So. Come to finish the job."

Riddick folded his arms. "No. Funny story. Shortly after you flew off the deep end, I went to the purple-haired one's house, to try and complete the mission. Turns out through uncertain terms…. Well…" He sighed. "I've come to save you, brother."

Zim's head drooped, and he groaned brokenly. "If you killed her and coming here to tell me is your version of being cruel, just say I failed, like I always do. Be done with it."

"Oh shut up." Riddick snapped. "Like I would kill my Maneem. I know I've come off as a bloodthirsty murderer that sort of flung you off the deep end, but I'm not without my own demons." He turned his head away slightly. "All I ever wanted was to find her. And I did."

Zim gritted his teeth. "I… I don't…. don't…"

Della stepped forward, into the light. "Don't believe him?" Her voice was thick. "You should, Zim."

Zim recoiled, his chains clanking loudly. "No… NO! Why did you bring her here? She can't see this!" He curled in on himself, eyes shut tight. "She can't see this, no, I failed…"

Della brushed past Riddick and approached Zim. Kneeling down, she tugged him upright, into her arms. "You didn't fail, you know. You were very smart, you did something that kept everyone safe. Even if it caused a hole in the front of the house-you'd better repair that later."

Zim gave a small laugh that could have been a sob.

"Mikko's safe, so is Tiana, and Tom. And Gloria. I'd be there too if I hadn't told Riddick over my dead body was he going after you alone, and he fooled GIR into letting me. That was you, you know. You came up with a plan to keep us safe, and it worked, even though you weren't there."

As she spoke, she could see Zim's form shrinking, growing smaller. The chains looked looser. Encouraged, she continued, as she began tugging him free. "I know you don't like me seeing this, Zim, but it's okay. Just because there's a creep part of you steering the ship right now doesn't make me love you less. It just means I'm going to fight harder to get you back. That's what I do." The chains dropped away, with nothing to hold onto anymore. She pulled Zim into her arms, now the size of a five year old, and kissed his head gently. "You're my son, Zim. That's what I do for my kids."

Clinging to her neck, he buried his face in her shoulder, his tiny body shaking.

Della heard Riddick's footsteps pull up next to her, and glanced up. Riddick was staring down at Zim. She hadn't known him long, but he hadn't struck her as the type to display the soft expression he now turned on Zim.

"Hey, Zim?" He whispered.

Zim lifted his face, tear streaked and swollen-eyed.

"You don't just have a mother to help you. I'll help you too. That's what brothers do for each other… right?" He wiped Zim's eyes gently. "Say, do you like magic?"

Hesitantly, Zim asked, "What's… magic?"

Startled, Della looked Zim over again. Not only had he shrunk, he was covered in welts, cuts, burns, and bruises. He wasn't just smaller, he really was younger. It made sense, she supposed, they were inside his mind, and anything could happen. He probably had no idea what magic was, or anything enjoyable, at this stage in his life.

Riddick whipped back his cloak with a flourish. "Here, I'll show you." Passing his empty hands in front of Zim, he reached behind Zim's antennae, and pulled a hand back, revealing a quarter.

Zim's eyes bulged as he reached behind his head. "Where'd it come from?"

Gently, Riddick patted Zim's head, handing him the quarter. "Well, that's Magic. You know, I learned from the best Magician ever…" He swallowed a little. "And I was about your age when he started to teach me. I'll show you. I can teach you Magic too." He cleared his throat. "You're my brother, Zim. I…" His sentence died off for a moment, as he reached for a word he hadn't used in decades. "…Love… you. And I'll do my best to make you smile. Help you forget the pain." He looked down toward the ground. "It's the least I could do… if you'd let me."

Della turned, setting Zim down on the ground. He stood there, uncertainly, looking at the quarter in his claws, and then up to Riddick. He opened his mouth, as if to ask something, but closed it, antennae quivering.

"You can ask me anything, Zim. Or tell me. It's alright." Riddick assured him.

"What's…" Zim cringed, as if afraid to ask such a stupid question. "What's a brother?"

Smiling a bit, Riddick put a hand on Zim's face gently. The smeet flinched at his touch, but when it didn't hurt, he leaned into it slightly. Riddick's voice was thick. "A brother means we come from the same mother. Same Maneem. You've been in training for awhile now, so you probably don't think you have one. But a Maneem is someone who cares for you, and carries you inside herself until you're ready to be brought out. But you were taken away from her. So was I. But she's back, she found us both. We'll get you out of here, and you can see her. You'll never ever be hurt like this again, Zim. I promise." He pulled Zim into a soft hug, stroking his antennae lightly. "It's over, Zim. You're home. We both found home."

Della's anger had long since dissipated into a warmth that rekindled her hope as she watched the exchange. She had waited and watched and hoped for so many years that Zim would be able to recover. He had pulled through time and time again, surely he could pull through again with this kind of support.

"Ssssso very sweet to see, isn't it?" A dark voice hissed. "Sweet to see us lose more and more, all'a time, oh just fun fun fun times, Zim loses and loses." Claws dug into her hair, yanking her back. "All your fault," A grim face leered into her line of vision. Zim's face, but not Zim's face. Eyes like black pits, and a mouth with lips that sprouted razor sharp teeth. "Your fault most of all."

Riddick set the small Zim down, stepping in front of him. "Zim's not the one who's losing this time, you are. And you don't speak for all of him, you just think you do. You're going back where you belong."

It laughed, long and loudly. "You're fuuuuuunny. You forgot, di'n't you? S'not your head. You got nothin' here. Nothin' at'allllll."

"It doesn't matter," Riddick growled, "I'll protect Zim at all costs. I'll protect him, do you hear me? You can't have him again!"

"It's okaaaayyyy," It purred, and Della felts sharp claws digging into her neck. "I'll jus' watch her stop playin' first. Then you. Then allll'of'em."

Della held her breath. A hand rested on Riddick's shoulder, as Zim—full size Zim—stepped out from behind him.

"This isn't your fight. It's mine." Zim informed Riddick, weaving slightly. "Long, long overdue."


	6. One Self

"Can we just kick the crap out of insane you?" Riddick gestured at It.

Zim shook his head. "Won't work. I can't destroy him. Why do you think he didn't destroy me?" He eyed it resignedly. "He needs me alive. I need him alive. We're different parts of the same person. Destroying one would destroy us both. I've had plenty of time to think about it down here."

It sneered, curling its lips until its teeth stuck straight out. "So he talks finally. Scaredy Fraidy talks."

"Yes, he talks," Zim returned darkly. "What say you let go of her," he nodded at Della, "And we see who's really fit to steer the ship?"

Cackling, It shoved Della aside, rubbing its hands together. "This gonna be fun."

"But I wasn't planning on killing him!" Riddick protested. "Just kicking the crap out of him. A satisfying punch to the face does wonders for a day."

"That won't work. And neither will locking him up. Look where locking it away got me. It's only temporary. There has to be a more permanent solution."

It tilted its head to the side for a moment, confused, before the black pits in its head gleamed with understanding. It threw back its head and howled with laughter, gasping, "You, you think you… oh, OH THAT'S FUNNY." Its head snapped forward, angrily. Snarling, it circled around Zim. "Not strong enough. Not survival enough. Not here cause'a you. Here cause'a me."

Zim left Riddick, circling around with It, eyes hard. "Wrong. Here because of you, AND me. You, on Irk. Me, on Earth. They would have killed us and cut us open the day they caught us if it was you."

It snarled at him. "Caught us and cut us anyway. Little Frizzies new babies made us lose." Its hands went to its torso, wincing. "Sliiiiiiiice." Silver scalpels dropped, here and there, from the walls and ceiling.

Zim maintained a steady pace. "Yes. They made us lose. They made us lose that day because we'd already won so big, nobody understood. We won reasons to stay playing that nobody ever took away."

It growled.

"Admit it!" Zim demanded. "Since this family took us in, we _wanted_ to stay playing, stay alive, in ways we didn't care before. That's why we lost, because we refused to lose that reason for staying alive."

It stopped circling, and so did Zim. It sized Zim up, staring at him coldly.

"Not strong enough." It stated.

"Try me." Zim replied.

Riddick watched intently, hands balled into fists at his side. He knew it was Zim's fight, but was finding it extremely hard not to get involved.

It narrowed its eyes. "You strong enough ta see whatcha did?" It asked, sinisterly.

"Whatever happened while you locked me away, I can fix it and move on." Zim responded, confidently.

"Reeeeaaaaaally?" It grinned, wagging a claw. "If you lose… I win. I win for good."

"I won't lose." Zim promised.

It lunged forward, as did Zim. Their palms slammed together, their claws interlocking as their feet braced outward. An image appeared to their left, and Zim turned his head to see.

It was an image of himself, reeling back from Dib and the bloody scalpel he held, turning to strike Mikko across the face. He could see his claws raking across her cheek.

He flinched slightly, but held his place.

The image changed, as he saw himself laying on his back in the wastes, shouting, "Anything to keep playing! Make it happen!" A blinding flash of green light enveloped him.

Less steady now, Zim asked, "What's… that…" Cracks appeared in the ground around his feet.

Riddick paled. "Oh no… Zim… you didn't know…"

The green flash in the image dissipated, leaving Zim naked in the middle of a blackened crater, several feet across. His scars glowed with bright green light as the sun dipped below the horizon, and he laughed. A pair of yellow eyes looked on, impassively. There was a heavy thunk next to Zim, and he turned down, to see a bound Irken guard, eyes wide.

"What… what is…" Zim's grip on Its hands tightened, as chunks of the ground around his feet began to fall away.

"Zim!" Riddick shouted. "Don't let him get to you! Don't let him!"

A gag appeared, wrapping around Riddick's mouth several times.

In the image, Zim turned, tearing into the guard, the vision blurring in a wash of green blood and screams.

The ground around Zim's feet fell away completely, leaving only a tiny part under his feet as he stared blankly at the image.

"Not… strong… enough…" It crooned, before lunging forward, leaning Zim backwards over the abyss that yawned behind him. His feet barely held to the ground.

"S'okay," It whispered, "I be strong one. Go sleep… sleep forever."

For a moment, Zim closed his eyes. Riddick clawed at the gag uselessly.

Then, Zim's eyes snapped open, his back arching forward as he whipped back into an even stance against It. "No more. Do you hear me?" He roared at It. "NO MORE. So you got your way. So no one can ever hurt us again. So we are a monster now. But you will not steer us, not ever again. "He shoved forward, driving It back and up against the wall. He grabbed It by the throat, pulling It forward and slamming It hard against the back of the cavern.

It growled, snarling, "Not strong enough still!" It insisted. "You want to lose! You wanna stop playing!"

"Die?" Zim growled. "Of course I want to die! Of course I do! After what you pulled? After what I'll have to endure for the rest of my life now?" He slammed It into the wall again, the granite cracking. "OF COURSE I DO. But I'm not going to!" He hurled It down to the ground at his feet. "They need us. All of them need us." He flicked his hand, the gag vanishing from Riddick's mouth.

Coughing, Riddick rubbed his mouth. "Thank you. And Zim?"

Zim glanced up.

"You aren't a monster. And what you'll have to go through… you won't be alone. I promise. Now do me a favor, and finish that thing off."

Zim turned his head away slightly. He couldn't even begin to think about what would have to happen, not now.

It took advantage, springing up at him, but Zim caught It by the throat. "There will be no finishing off. He is a part of me." A small, crooked grin crossed his face. "And we have been sorely lacking in unpredictability lately."

It struggled, panicked. "You can't! Not strong enough!"

Zim's form began to glow. "Leave my mind, Riddick. Maneem. Now."

Riddick nodded. "As you wish." He offered a hand to Della. "Come on. Let's give him some privacy."

Della took his arm, as It began to thrash in Zim's grip.

"You are a part of me." Zim stated firmly. "Time to become whole again."

…

In a flash, Riddick exited Zim's mind, falling back to a sitting position and taking a few deep breaths. "How many emotional breakdowns in a day?"

Behind him, Della thumped flat on her back, completely disoriented. Zim, however, stayed where he was, eyes blank, completely still.

"Zim?" Riddick passed a hand in front of his face a few times.

Zim's eyes slowly came to focus, blinking. "Next… time… I say… don't touch something…. don't touch it….. idiot." But there was no spite or force in his voice.

Folding his arms, Riddick tossed back, "Yes, well, next time maybe don't be so crazy." He stood, offering a hand to Zim.

Zim's arm twitched slightly, and he frowned from his place on the ground. It twitched again, and his eyes widened. "I… I can't move."

Bending down, Riddick slung Zim's arm over his shoulders and lifted him up, supporting his weight. "Yes, rule number one of using your new powers. Over-using them results in depletion, very fast and very hard. Think of stepping all the way down on a gas pedal and flooring it until the tank reaches empty. That's basically what happened."

"Wonderful." Zim groaned. "Let me guess. I used up everything trying to kill you when you came back."

"Yes. And the only solution to an empty gas tank, or the fastest and quickest way is…" Riddick cleared his throat. "Filling it, but let's get to that later, shall we? We need to get you home and discuss our plan of attack. This Dib I still haven't formally met is possessed, the Morflar Gaz is missing, Danem got put in a Control Brain and is on the Massive, a worldwide hit has been put on us for the return of Maneem or Earth will be destroyed. Our list is vast so we can't dilly dally. Oh, and someone needs to help up the 'Dead Fish' over there."

"Dead fish?" Zim blinked.

Cursing, Della struggled up. "Tunaghost, she came looking for you."

"Tunaghost?" Zim's head rolled back in alarm as he tried to see her. "What the flirk was she thinking?"

Della gestured to Riddick. "Take Zim back, come back and get us afterward. I'll see how she's doing. Just hurry, no telling what your little light show might have attracted.

Nodding, Riddick agreed. "Yes. We'll worry about these things later, and there's a lot. But in the meantime, hold on."

"Hold on?" Zim asked, "Where are we go—"

Della shook her head as they vanished. "I think he enjoys vanishing with people mid-sentence." She muttered. "Showman."


	7. Regroup and Recount

Zim's senses reeled as the wastes faded away, replaced by the empty lot where his base used to be, and then the living room of his base seconds later. He closed his eyes, attempting to readjust to his surroundings, as Riddick dragged him somewhere.

"Okay, are we all ready to regroup?" He heard Riddick ask.

Tom's voice was strung tightly, "Yes. It would be good to bring my wife back too if you would. I'll watch Zim."

Opening his eyes, Zim shifted his eyes around to find Tom. He was standing next to Zim's TV monitor. The screen showed Della, tending to Tunaghost in the wastes. Zim's spooch clenched a little, remembering that everything had been transmitted here.

Riddick set him down on the couch, pulling a nearby blanket over to cover him, then vanished in a flash.

Zim's eyes scanned the room, searching for his sisters. In the farthest corner, toward the kitchen, Gloria leaned against the wall, expression blank. Tom maintained his position, staring at Zim with a wary look that stung. Mikko and Tiana were nowhere to be seen. He dropped his gaze to the floor.

Another flash, and Riddick returned as Della and Tunaghost sprawled on the floor. Tom hurried over to help Della up, as Riddick brushed off his cloak and addressed the ceiling. "There we are. See, talking robot house child? The Red Tie loophole worked."

The speakers crackled with unease. "Masta not right. Where's PAK?"

"GIR, you can run a DNA scan on me if you must," Zim said tiredly, "I am Zim. Just… some changes have been… deals were…" his eyes flicked away as Tunaghost groaned on the floor. "Tunaghost requires medical attention please."

As wires descended from the ceiling toward her, Tunaghost bolted upright, flailing. "He was-! He was-!"

He could only wait for the words to label his crime. He saw Della crouch by her, trying to calm the woman, who shoved Della back and pointed at Zim in a panic. "He was _eating_ another Irken!"

The words felt like they were sinking into his skin, branding everywhere they touched. He shut his eyes, focusing on the fact that he was alive, that he was home, that he would sort out and fix whatever he could as he was able. Anything but the memory of that guard's terrified screaming.

"And he shot light out of his hands!" She was still going. "The same kind of magic as that creep magician, what's going on?"

"Thanks for the creep magician comment," Riddick's voice was terse. "Maybe next time I won't save your life."

"WHY IS HE HERE?" Tunaghost's voice rose shrilly.

"Tunaghost, please. We have to catch you up with what's going on." Della's voice was like a balm. He opened his eyes, still scanning for his sisters. Della seemed to have come to the same realization, and turned to Tom. "Where are Mikko and Tiana?"

Tom's arms were folded tightly across his ribcage. "I sent them to another room. They're to keep clear until I'm assured Zim can keep himself under control." Tom glanced at Zim. "Understand something, Zim. If I had a son, and he pulled what you just did, I would be doing the exact same thing. This isn't like the Eyeball situation. I don't know how you came to the choices you did, but they weren't forced on you this time, and I have to be convinced you won't snap at a moment's notice."

Nearly inaudible, Zim answered, "Understood."

"What did happen?" Now Della turned to him. "In your mind, you said something about having to do something for the rest of your life."

"Ah, yes." Riddick cleared his throat. "That. Well, these powers come with a price."

"How did he get them to begin with, though?" She insisted. "He was just shouting at the sky."

An image flickered in Zim's mind, faintly. "No, someone was there." He frowned, trying to steady the image but failing. "I don't know who he is, but I heard his voice in my head. He said he could make it so no one would ever hurt me again. That I could kill them all and never look back. I agreed…" He fixed his eyes on the ceiling, his chest aching, unable to look at Tom or Della. "He must have known I'd never do it sane."

Riddick sighed. "Look, Zim, everyone knows you lost it. They know you didn't agree to this of a sound mind. Don't be ashamed, your idiot brother did it first."

"So," Della hedged, "What is this price?"

Riddick didn't pull any punches. "Once a month, you must consume one of your own kind, or you die." The silence in the room was deafening. "It can be dead or alive, but you have to do it." He cleared his throat. "That being said, Zim, we need to talk. I was going to say this in private but since they all know… if you use too much of your power—as you just did—it leaves you exhausted, and basically unable to perform any duty. Rest could lead to a full recovery in a few days, but you used so much of your power in such giant bursts, you wouldn't be back to full power naturally for at least a few days, especially as a beginner. There is a loophole around that, however."

Zim could feel blood draining from his face as the guard's screams sounded louder in his mind.

"I know this is going to be difficult, and I don't want to rush things, but given the situation, Zim… the clock is ticking. We still have people in danger, and we still have to do things, and do them urgently. An Irken feeding, at any time, will restore your power and energy like filling a gas tank. We need you at a hundred percent, and we can't wait. The longer we do, the more our chances of survival drop."

Panic clawed at Zim's gut, and he shut his eyes again, his breath whistling through clenched teeth. He had told himself he would be strong, that he would survive. Others were depending on him. He could do this. He would do whatever he had to.

A hand rested on his shoulder, and Riddick said, "You won't be alone. I promise, I'll be there."

"If… If this has to happen, I'd suggest less talking about it." Della sounded strained. "Whatever has to be done..." she trailed off.

"Yes," Riddick agreed. "I'll take him to a private room." He glanced up and across the room. "Maneem, are you alright?"

Zim glanced up to see Gloria cross the room, pulling Riddick into a hug. It was like needles stabbing his spooch to see her embrace him, and to hear her say, "I'm sorry you had to go through these things." She'd seen everything, heard all Riddick had done, and it didn't make any difference to her.

While he, after all he had tried to do to make up for his errors, had been shunned at first realization.

Riddick leaned into the hug. "It's alright Maneem. I'm still here, that's what matters. I'd go through hell again if I knew it meant I'd find you."

She released him and turned to Zim. He could see by the bent of her arms, the yearning on her face, that she was going to hold him too. Hold him like she never had up to this point. The way he'd secretly hoped she would, at least to acknowledge him as her biological child if not his "true parent". And yet, as she bent over him, he shut his eyes, throwing up a green wall between them.

He could hear Della murmur something about giving them some privacy, and opened his eyes to see her tugging at Gloria's arm, leading her away. The expression on Gloria's face was hollow and broken. Tom scooped up Tunaghost, as GIR softly instructed him where the medbay was, and they all filed out of the room, leaving Zim with Riddick, who stood tapping his foot.

He knocked on the green wall. "You know, I know you've accepted the Loud Frizzy Frying Pan as your Maneem, but that doesn't mean you get to act like that toward our mother, who wanted to console you a bit before you go through this. I'm not telling you who to love, I understand what Della has done for you. I saw it in your head. I'm just saying, don't shut our mother out completely. In the long run, that would kill her more than knowing the rest of her children are dead."

"But she _did_ choose you." Zim said bitterly. "I was right. I know why, it makes sense. You can't hide a crying smeet. But it doesn't change what happened after. I will accord her all the respect she deserves, but I can't look at her right now. Especially when she could barely stand to look at me all this time."

"She didn't choose me, Zim." Riddick rubbed his face. "Honestly now, switch you and me and tell me it would have been different if she found out I was her son first. She had more time to adjust and accept before she even knew me. You just had unfortunate timing." At Zim's snort, he allowed. "All the unfortunate timing. It wasn't about choice, just learning to be able to love us again. Just think about that, alright? I know your mind's going to be on a lot of other things right now, but keep it for later." He knocked on the wall again. "Also, drop the wall. The last thing we need is more of your energy wasted."

Zim's antennae twitched, but he nodded in acknowledgement, dissipating the wall. Riddick was right. There were other, more distasteful matters at hand.


	8. Unpleasant Feeding

Zim sat up, propped against the cushions of the couch GIR had dropped down. It was a private room in the base, sprouted off from the hallway for just this occasion. Riddick had requested it before vanishing to "hunt" as he called it. GIR had, on Zim's request, dropped in a pair of black pants and an orange turtleneck from Zim's clothing stockpile. After struggling for awhile, Zim reluctantly ordered GIR to dress him in the pants at least. He could feel a bit of strength returning, but just enough to sit up, and even that had taken him fifteen minutes. He practiced lifting his arms, and managed to bring them up to shoulder level for a few seconds before they dropped back down.

He wondered how Tiana was doing. Where Mikko was. If Tom and Della were arguing. He thought about anything but what the next flash of red light would bring.

All too soon, that red light appeared, and Riddick with it. He dropped an Irken corpse at Zim's feet, stripped to the skin. "Well, good news for us. Irken troops have been deployed around the area, but still have no idea where we've gone. I was able to get one in an alley and kill him quickly, so here we are."

Zim's spooch churned as he stared at the body on the ground. He'd known it was coming, and still he felt himself freezing at the prospect of what he would have to do. But he honed in on Riddick's words, asking quietly, "He died quickly then?"

"Yes, I couldn't exactly stay there long and have him start screaming, could I? Or did you forget we are universally wanted?"

Zim kept his eyes fixed on the corpse. "Can you promise me they will all be like that from now on? Dead quickly, never knowing what will happen?"

Riddick's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't think they deserve some misery after what they put their own kind through?"

Zim snapped, "Nobody deserves—" He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "You don't know. You don't understand what it's like to be… the hunted."

Shaking his head, Riddick sighed. "On the one hand, I'll consider it. On the other, let's remember that if it wasn't for their cruelty we would have dozens more brothers and sisters than we do, instead of a list of smeet corpses dead from painful experiments and horrible conditions." His mouth formed a thin line for a moment, as he thought about it. "Look, I'm not promising anything yet. Talk to me when this is over, and maybe I'll see things differently. Right now I'm just worried about you, not them."

Zim's mouth turned down. He was inclined to point out that neither of them would exist if not for that selfsame cruelty, but dismissed the notion. He didn't have energy to waste on an argument. He carefully slipped onto the floor next to the body, already feeling the nausea climbing up the back of his throat as his breathing quickened. "So… how… do you…"

"Well, you just eat it. At this point, that's how I do it. Just eat it."

 _Not helpful._ Zim stared down at the body, trying to pull to mind the reasons he chose this, reminding himself he couldn't afford to give into his inanity. He promised he would survive at any cost to continue protecting his family, and this was the cost. He had to do it.

He reached a hand forward, and let it fall.

_It's not a waffle. It's not a pancake or an apple. He lived. He breathed. He probably trained just like me. He probably served the Tallests with everything he had._

A few awkward moments passed, with Zim just staring at the body. Finally, Riddick offered, "Maybe it would work better if I fed it to you?"

"Maybe." Zim managed.

Crouching, Riddick lifted the body up to Zim's face. "Open your mouth and chew a bite. It will be over before you know it, yes?"

"Right." Zim tensed. Opening his mouth, he closed his teeth on the skin. The second he broke skin, he ripped back, panting wildly. Only a bite mark showed on the Irken. "I…"

"Zim, you can do this." Riddick said firmly. "You told that thing in your mind you wouldn't let it beat you. The first bite is always the hardest, but once we get past that, it'll be easier. Come now. Eat."

Zim could hear something in Riddick's tone had shifted. He seemed to be trying persuasion and care, something he hadn't displayed before and probably wasn't very good at. But he was trying. Grimacing, he leaned forward again, sinking his teeth in and pulling away a mouthful of flesh. His eyes fell on the wide-open eyes of the dead Irken, and immediately his stomach lurched. He retched, almost falling over with the force of it. He clung to the edge of the couch to stay upright as the room tilted around him.

He growled, anger kindling in his gut. _I'm going to survive!_ Turning, he buried his face in the Irken's side for a second, ripping out a piece and swallowing. Within seconds it came back up. He slumped back against the couch, sagging.

Riddick dropped the body, balling his fists for a moment, before releasing them. "It's alright Zim. We'll do this. We have to."

"Do what? It's not working. I'm trying, but I can't do it!"

"You _can_ do it!" Riddick insisted. He rubbed his chin. "You just can't force yourself into it like we're trying now. I know time is of the essence, but maybe there's another way."

The sound of a throat being cleared broke their focus. Both glanced up to see Tunaghost, leaning on the door frame, lips pressed in a thin line. Tiana stood next to her, looking very pale.

Zim's head dropped, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Why are you here?"

"Seemed like you might need some help." Tunaghost stepped in. "I've seen your mental state. On my way over, found her sneaking over too."

"Take her away." Zim's voice was heavy with shame. "She shouldn't be seeing this."

"Too late for that, isn't it?" Riddick stood. "At this point, I'm turning no one away if it means getting this done. Remember what's at stake here. I think she can handle this for you."

Zim kept his eyes fixed on the ground as Tiana's footsteps came nearer, and she sat in front of him. Right next to the dead Irken.

"Zim. Look at me."

"Go away Tiana." He muttered.

"Don't give me that." The edge in her tone brought his head up slightly. "I'm not a baby, Zim. I was down there in the Eyeball too. I heard you screaming. I saw what they did to you."

His head dropped down again.

"Zim, look at me." Her tone was softer, but Zim shook his head. Her hand came under his chin, pushing up and lifting his face so she could see his eyes. "Remember what you told me in the Eyeball?"

He blinked. It seemed like such a long time ago somehow.

"You told me that as long as I kept my eyes closed, nothing was really happening, and they couldn't hurt you, and it was all okay. It was a lie, but because I closed my eyes, I couldn't see any more hard things, and I got through it. And so did you, like you promised." She took his hand, squeezing it. "Close your eyes and do it. I'll be right here."

"So will I." Zim could feel Riddick's hand settling on his shoulder.

Tunaghost settled in on the other side of Zim. "I was there too, down there. I didn't get what you were doing at first, when we rushed up to your cell and I saw you were about to kill your sister. But I get it now." She laid a hand on his back. "Sometimes there's no other way than the worst one, and you never pick that unless it's the very last resort. This way of surviving… it's a last resort you have to get used to. But I know you. You'll do it because you'll never stop protecting this family."

Sucking in a deep breath, Zim shut his eyes tightly, and leaned forward to tear into the body. He could picture Tiana's face, pale and pinched. Tunaghost blanching. Riddick's steady gaze. All of them there to keep him alive. He had to push through this!

It felt like an eternity before he pulled back, unable to stomach any more. He drew his knees up to his chest, tightly, shivering and trying not to think too hard about what he had just done. He could feel some strength returning as someone began wiping him off with what felt like a blanket. Someone's hands—Tiana—stroked his antennae.

"It's only half finished." Riddick's voice sounded far away to him. "You need to finish it to be at full strength. Right now you're only a little over fifty percent recharged. We can't have that… are you still picturing the Irken?"

Zim nodded, eyes still shut.

"I'll be back shortly." Riddick stated. Cracking an eye open, Zim saw Riddick disappear through the doorway, dragging what was left of the Irken.

He didn't even want to consider what Riddick might be doing.

"This yours?" Zim glanced over to see Tunaghost picking up his orange turtleneck from the ground. "Dumb question. Nobody else wears stupid sweaters like this."

"I like the color." Zim muttered.

"Yeah, well hold still." She finished wiping him clean with the blanket, and lifted his arms, pulling the sweater down over his head.

He felt something soft pressed against his forehead and glanced up as Tiana tied a white bandanna around his forehead. "Asked GIR for it on the way here." She said softly. "Spied on you guys earlier and saw you lost yours. Thought you'd want another one."

His throat closed. Reaching up he grabbed Tiana's hand, holding it tightly. Maybe somehow he'd be able to get through this because, once again, Tiana believed he could.


	9. Stovetop Talk

Della couldn't help a twinge of alarm at how easily Gloria allowed herself to be led to the kitchen. It wasn't that she was expecting a fight, but the way in which Gloria followed was little more than the motions of a puppet being pulled along by string. Her eyes stared vacantly forward, and her lips were parted slightly, as if frozen in mid-question.

Carefully pushing her into a chair, Della rummaged around the cupboards for something resembling a kettle. Finding nothing, she grabbed a small pot, filled it with water, and set it to boil.

"GIR," she addressed the ceiling. "Going to need some tea, I know Zim probably doesn't keep it. Can you get me some?"

"No Tea. Have cocoa!" Packets rained from the ceiling.

Scooping up a few, she tore them open and dumped their contents into a pair of mugs GIR provided.

"You know, he'll get over it." She said, focusing on the mugs and the pot of water. "He's like that sometimes when he's overwhelmed. Shuts most people out. Maybe lets one or two in when he can't handle any more than that. Then he comes back around and apologizes and does what needs doing."

At Gloria's silence, she continued. "Guessing it's been a pretty overwhelming day for you too. Maybe you need some time to think, away from them too." The water began to bubble, but she let it sit another moment. "Seems a lot is resting on your decisions lately. So you more than anyone needs space to think."

"I don't understand."

Della craned her neck to look over her shoulder.

Gloria stared back at her, eyes full of confusion. "Why doesn't he want me? I want him, I've always wanted him… I didn't mean to hurt him…" Her eyes shifted to the side.

"There's more?" Della prompted, pouring water into the mugs and stirring them.

"What happened to Gaz? What can I do to get Dib back? Why is Ivan dead when I need him here? What do I do with this strange son I'm so happy to have back, but lives with a horrible curse? What do I do with the son who doesn't even want me, and accepted the same curse? And," Her breath hitched. "Why do I care that Red is locked in a tiny, dark place? Why am I worried about him? How did I know, when I saw the messages he was sending out, that it wasn't really him talking? Why do I feel like I need to have a part in freeing him?"

Della let out a slow breath, setting a mug in front of Gloria, and taking a seat across from her with her own mug. "That's a lot for anybody to have on their mind."

Gloria stared down at the mug in her hands, mute again.

Della felt empathy for the woman in front of her. She would never know the brokenness Gloria had endured, but a blind man could see she was on the edge of letting it swallow her again. "You're not alone in this, okay? We're all safe for the moment, and there's some brilliant minds and special skills around. We'll solve this, and come out alright."

A cleared throat brought both their heads up. Riddick stood in the doorway, an awkward look on his face and half an Irken in tow. "There's no real way to hide this. We have a problem, and we need it solved."

Gloria's eyes darted straight back down.

Della, on the other hand, couldn't look away from the half-eaten Irken. "A… problem? Seems like… he's doing fine… so far…"

"That's just it." Riddick responded. "This is as far as he can get, and he needed me, Tunaghost, and Tiana there to get that far." He held up his free hand. "Before you say anything, it was their idea to come, not mine."

Della groaned, slapping her forehead. "Tom's gonna pitch a fit."

"We can worry about Tom's fit pitching later." Riddick said urgently. "A thought occurred to me. Zim can't go any further because he is picturing the Irken. He can't get past the fact that he is eating an Irken. But Zim has to eat the whole thing, there's no way around that this time. He drained himself so far, and he can't just eat half. So, we need to make this Irken not look like an Irken anymore. How good are you with recipes and cooking?"

Della glanced at Gloria, whose knuckles flashed white around the mug. Obviously, she would not be able to do this. Not that Della blamed her, she was pretty sure the only reason she hadn't refused was because her brain hadn't caught up with what had just been asked. But then, if it did, and she couldn't help Zim…

"This is the only way, huh?" She stood, a hand on the table for balance.

"It's either this, or I knock Zim out and use a flirking funnel. I'd prefer this."

Rolling up her sleeves, Della gestured to the countertop. "Then you're on slice and dice." She rummaged through the cabinets again, setting several skillets all over the stove top. "It will still look like meat, but not an Irken." She glanced over at Gloria, still staring down. She called softly, "Gloria."

Gloria's head came up with a jerk.

"The living room is a mess, I think I saw some cleaning supplies in the closet, could you take care of it?"

Wordlessly, she stood, drifting out of the kitchen.

Riddick set the Irken down on the counter, looking guilty. "I didn't know she would be in here."

"Yeah, well, it isn't you." She checked the heat, adjusting the gas flame as she gestured for Riddick to do what he needed to with the body. "We talked a bit. Seems like she's starting to care some for Red, which means they were making some headway, and suddenly he's gone. Gaz isn't here, and from what I gather she was Gloria's main support. She gained one son, and lost the other. Did you see the look on her face when Zim put up that wall? It all happened at once, she's just having trouble handling it."

"I talked to Zim about that." Riddick's voice was low. "He asked me to make sure all Irkens I kill have a quick, painless death. I almost want to barter and say I'd do it if he gave Maneem a chance. But foolish me, I'm starting to feel things again. I'm starting to remember I have a conscience somewhere. I'm not going to bribe Zim. I said all I could, and the future will tell now."

She could see his hand out of the corner of her eye, extending several slices of raw meat. She took them, not allowing herself to think too hard, and dropped them into the skillets. "Zim's also having a lot happen all at once, if you haven't noticed. It usually takes him a long time to sort things like this out. Obviously, he doesn't have that time, and he probably knows it. He, however, is more prone to throwing a fit when he hits the wall."

"I noticed. I guess I got most of the level-headedness. But to be fair, there are some things he's gone through that I wouldn't have come through as well as he did. At this point I think if someone set him on fire he'd ask what was for lunch. He can surprise you…"

"You never know." Della agreed. "I've definitely been surprised a few times by what _hasn't_ broken him."

"Speaking of things that should break someone," Riddick's cloak swished as he turned to hand more pieces over. "I was expecting at least a scream of surprise from you when I brought this in. However, you've kept a level head, even in cooking it. May I ask how?"

Della turned the meat silently, grabbing a spice from the cupboard without even looking and sprinkling it on distractedly. "I faced down the Tallests with a squirt gun for him. I went into his own head to get him back. He's as much my kid as Mikko and Tiana are, and I'll do whatever it takes to help him." She said evenly.

"I can understand why he calls _you_ mother and not Gloria." He said quietly. "It's a formed bond, but still, I hope he at least gives her a chance."

"I'm sure he will. But right now she doesn't have what he needs." She glanced over. "You know it. She has other things to think about right now. And he doesn't have what she needs either. I think the person she most needs right now—who is on hand—is you. Once you're through, that is."

Riddick glanced at the skillets. "You're a better cook than me, that's for sure. I think I made cereal catch fire once."

Della's mouth twitched. "Well, you're funnier than you let on." Flipping the burners off, she grabbed a huge mixing bowl off the shelf and began dumping the cooked meat into it. "I'd join you, but sounds like there's already a crowd in there." She handed it to him. "and one more thing. If he pulls that 'Why did you tell Maneem' business with the hanging head, bop him on the head and tell him to knock it off."

"Fair enough." Riddick took the bowl and left the room.

Della stood there for a moment, before slipping down to the floor and covering her mouth with her hands.

_Don't think about it. Don't think about it. You did what you had to to help him. Don't think about it…_

…

Zim flinched as a metal bowl full of cooked meats was dropped in front of him.

"Eat." Riddick commanded.

Staring at it, Zim questioned, "You cook?"

"No."

"Then who…" his antennae lowered. "Why did you—"

Reaching forward, Riddick bopped him on the head. "Knock it off. From Della, with love."

Zim snorted, shaking his head. _She would._ Bracing himself, he rolled up his sleeves, closed his eyes, and continued where he left off.

What felt like an eternity later, he pushed the empty bowl away, keeping his eyes closed and his mouth shut as he tried to put his mind elsewhere. He couldn't afford to throw up. He could feel Tiana's hands massaging the base of his antennae, and allowed himself to unclench a little as he took a few slow breaths. "So. If I'm careful, I don't have to… do that, for another month."

"We'll see Zim." A red cane appeared in Riddick's hand for him to lean on. "We're up against some big guns here."

For the first time since arriving back, Zim looked at Riddick fully. "Riddick, what was that thing? It…" he paused. He wasn't entirely sure he'd be taken seriously, but he had to ask. "When I made the deal, I saw something. It looked so ridiculous, I thought it was part of my insanity. But I could feel its power. There was so much of it. That thing, with the yellow eyes? It could have crushed me if it wanted."

"That, Zim, is most likely what we're going to have to beat. Not just to get Danem back, but Dib as well. And the morflar, if I'm right."

Overhead, the ceiling speakers crackled, but it wasn't GIR's voice that came through them. "Fully accurate and correctly speaks one wax droplet to another. But I would expect larger dreams from the two halves than simple jailbreaking."

In less than a second Zim was on his feet, antennae twitching as he assessed the voice. "That's not GIR, and that's not my base Computer."

"No," Riddick's eyes scanned the ceiling. "It's something else. It almost sounds like…"

"The mind, the head, the thoughts of Irk," the speakers confirmed. "Indeed, red droplet, your hearing does not deceive."

"So we've been found?" Riddick's hands glowed. "Are we going to fight? Because we're ready now."

"There will be no fight," the speakers hissed sternly, "And you will want to hear what one caged has to say. For now, gather together. We must discuss the fate of the candle and the flame."

Zim stared at Riddick. "Riddick, I've never heard a Control Brain speak like this."

"Come!" It insisted firmly. "We don't have much time. The Warden knows I have gone, and there is much to answer for."

 


	10. History Lesson

Zim and Riddick bolted for the main room, Tiana and Tunaghost hot on their heels. Zim couldn't hear anyone else's footsteps, and could only presume the voice had been contained to their room and no one else had been alerted. His suspicions were confirmed when he and Riddick crossed into the main room, and a clear shield rose behind them to cut off Tiana and Tunaghost. Whatever this Control Brain wanted, it wanted them alone.

"They may watch but must not speak," the speakers crackled, "They do not hold sway in these decisions, which belong solely to those responsible for directing the fate of Irk."

"Great, sounds like a fun chat." Riddick seated himself on the couch, glancing over to see Gloria already seated in a nearby chair, gripping the material of her jeans and staring ahead. "So, 'good' Control Brain. Do you have another name? Would be better to call you something that isn't what we're hiding from right now."

"If hourglasses could cycle back far enough, one might find the name one could once hold with pride that is now buried beneath millennial shames upon shames. However it must be called and it shall be Selm that you may speak to address me."

"How did you get into my base?" Zim spat at the ceiling. "Where is GIR?"

"G-001SIR is well and unharmed, merely hacked and controlled through safe codes implanted quite the long time ago in case of such emergencies arising."

"That robot was built that long ago?" Riddick blinked.

"Perhaps not as long as your conclusions have leaped, however make no mistake, G001-SIR was among my many pawns sent against the Warden before he was scrapped for the tendencies that made him so dangerous to the Warden."

Turning to Riddick Zim snapped, "Do you understand a word he's saying?"

Rolling his eyes, Riddick responded, "Well I can see how you might miss it, having such a foolhardy and abrasive attitude about getting to the point, no offense brother. But I believe Selm is saying that he's been fighting back this entire time. How long have you been a Control Brain?"

A pause preceded the much quieter reply. "The shame upon shame red droplet is that the first leader among the scattered was Selm. The first Tallest among the united was Selm. And the first Control Brain was Selm."

"So, what, you were the domino that caused the whole mess we're in?" Riddick asked. "Irk wasn't always a floating ball of cruelty?"

"Calling myself the domino is a simplification of the game that was set against our race long before I hatched, in the Age of Greenfeast."

Something twisted in Zim's gut as he stuck on that sentence. "Greenfeast. What is that?"

"The age in which our entire race was hunted, bred, slaughtered for sustenance of other races." The speakers answered dispassionately.

Zim thunked to the floor, eyes wide. "No… we've always been conquerors," He denied weakly, "We invade other planets…"

"To wipe out the memory, and fix in the minds of every generation for a thousand thousand years, that we might never again suffer the fate of our ancestors. For this, we swore dominion of all." Selm sighed.

"Alright Selm," Riddick crossed his arms. "I think you're getting a tad ahead of yourself. Can you start from the beginning of all this? If it started before you, where does it begin?"

"Wisely speaks the red droplet." Selm agreed. "The beginning handed down from mouth to mouth through the ages is best to explain. It began many more turns of the hourglass tumbling backwards, when all were at peace and Irkens rode the backs of winged beasts in joy and contentment, and befriended all manner of races in curiosity and childlike innocence. Together all moved forward into ages of development, through stone to iron and on to technology. And none watched over us more kindly than the Morflars."

Zim sputtered, choking.

"Green droplet, some of your past is carved on your skin and some written in your mind, but know that the stories handed down to me were of a kindly symbiosis between the races. They eased an Irken's passing by taking him at the moment of death—as they do now, for sustenance—but removing all pain and fear. Leaving instead only gentle thoughts and dreams for many months, a period of well-earned rest before the end."

Staring, Zim whispered, "I don't believe you."

Riddick leaned back on the couch, relaxing. "Why not? Why exactly is this unbelievable in comparison to everything else we've been through? I know what Morflars can do, and what they've done, but I also know a thing or two about losing your way and becoming a monster you don't even recognize anymore. I know what it's like to be shoved down that path, and just because they aren't Irken doesn't mean they didn't suffer a similar fate."

Zim slammed a fist on the ground. "Because you've never been on the OTHER end of that!" he shrilled. "Do you REALLY expect me to believe they were once harbingers of a gentle and dignified end?"

"Your particular encounter was no accident or random happenstance whim of a guard, green droplet, but that is ahead of the story, and silence would help us reach that goal." He continued his story. "The tales passed down told of a diagram left to us by source unknown, of a device meant to extend our lives far beyond our time. This we thought to be a marvelous thing, something that could only benefit us and perhaps our allies as well. And so we built machines into our bodies that rejuvenated us, kept us ageless, removed all trace of illness and disease. And so, for many years, no Irken died. No Irken died, and the balance so long kept began to crumble, as the symbiosis began to starve."

Zim tilted to the side, feeling ill as he began to connect the dots.

"They watched and waited and searched for Irkens near death, but none were there and so. One reached out and took an Irken before its time, to keep from death itself. And so. It tasted fear, and pain, and death, and darkness overtook it. And so. Others followed, unwilling to die themselves, and one by one, all turned dark, and Irken fear became a delectable flavor, an acquired taste. And so, the balance shifted further, as strange rumors spread that there was no finer meal to be had, no greater delicacy to be tasted, than Irken flesh. And so." Selm's voice grew more bitter. "Suddenly our winged mounts turned on us. Our friends enslaved us, to breed and produce farmed flesh. Races came from far and wide because the species Irken was synonymous with sustenance. All this, we brought on ourselves. But we had not yet finished, the worst was to come, and it came through Selm."

"It's a pendulum," Riddick mused. "We got better, others got worse. When they found a solution, they got better and we got worse… meaning that…"

"Observant, red droplet." Selm affirmed. "Selm was hatched in hiding, in freedom, in a small clan cowering in the rocks, living day to day in fear of discovery. Always moving, always running, hating, fearing. The day Selm left to forage, the clan was caught and taken away to never see the light again. That day, Selm met..." His words choked off as the overhead speakers suddenly sparked with electricity, and pained grunts sounded.

Eyeing the ceiling, Riddick said cautiously, "I think I have an idea of who you're talking about. Continue."

Selm struggled to regain his words as he faltered on. "…He came to Selm, said he could help... could change the course of Irk forever. Save us all. Of course the offer was accepted, and another mysterious diagram appeared. Ages had passed and the machines we had first built ourselves had disintegrated as we focused on survival, but here was the formula for smaller, stronger, better machines. And one much larger, meant to house the leader, to take a body into itself and become the mind of Irk. This did Selm construct, the first shell, the first tomb, into which he stepped and sealed himself. From there, many of the small machines—"

"Why don't you just call them PAKs?" Zim interrupted. "We know what they are!"

"You forget yourself, green droplet." Selm reprimanded, sternly. "You are yet free, your strings cut. I am still caged. The Warden restricts my speech. At great pains, other words must be chosen." Again, he continued. "Many of the small machines were built then, and distributed to all hidden clans that could be found. The weapons within were not matched by any, and we felled them within weeks, reclaiming our planet. There, we could have rebuilt. There, we could have brought back the planet that was ours, but a whisper came to Selm, a whisper of fear that there still lived those who knew the taste of Irken flesh, and would return. And so, Selm commanded armies raised, ships built, and weapons created. The skies darkened with the departure from Irk, and we turned on our nearest allies first, the V—" Again, the speakers sparked, as this time Selm cried out in pain. "…the... horned... ones..."

Zim stared at the ceiling, a disturbed expression on his face.

Selm's voice came heavier now. "We... slaughtered... and took... the survivors... as slaves. Took... their children... to be raised enslaved... never to be told. And to the next planet, we did the same. But to the third... as I raised my voice to command withdrawal... for the first time, my voice fell silent... and the shell spoke in my stead, commanding the planet be burned."

"I've seen this happen often." Zim's mouth was set in a grim line. "If the life forms are deemed useless to the Empire, the surface is torched."

Riddick shook his head. "So the Irken Empire was a giant dupe, a lie. I knew the Irken race was a bunch of mindless puppets, but I didn't think it was this bad. They're being used as the fall race for almost all the problems in this sector of the Universe."

As if he hadn't heard either of them, Selm concluded, "Then, in my bewilderment, the Warden spoke to me. No, laughed at me. Laughed at my foolishness. The very first machines had been planted by him, disrupting the balance. The rumors had been spread by him, turning other allies against us. And our race had just come under his direct control, thanks to Selm."

As his voice faded, the front door resounded with a loud knock.

Zim bolted to his feet. "You're kidding! We're miles underground!" Walking over, he wrenched open the door. There, wired into the doorframe and resting on what was left of his porch, lay the most broken down, rusted Control Brain he had ever seen. Every lens was cracked or shattered. The entire frame was dented, and blackened by passage through fire, perhaps atmosphere. Fraying wires stuck out all over.

"As I said," Selm sighed, "G-001SIR was a pawn movement in the game, easily trackable for those knowing exactly where to look. And though old and worn, the tools of this frame still function to part earth."

Staring down at the Control Brain, Zim's claws dug into the doorframe. "Riddick, something's wrong with this."

"Zim, if he tries anything, he's in no condition to win." Riddick gestured at the door from the couch. "Let him in."

"That's not what I mean." Zim responded tensely.

"This half is observant as well, red droplet. Do riddle it out, green drop." Selm challenged.

Zim's eyes narrowed. "You speak of the Warden having you under his control, whoever he may be. If he has you so tightly under his control, to the point where you still can't speak freely, how did you get here without him knowing?"

"And there we get to the heart of my visit." Selm answered reluctantly. "He knows. He allowed. And I am a messenger of mixed tidings to the candle, young droplets."

"Droplets." Zim blinked. "He calls us droplets. Candle…" He whipped around, having all but forgotten Gloria. She hadn't moved once, and still stared forward, a blank expression on her face.

Riddick lifted his head. "Maneem?"

"The Warden sends word and warning," murmured Selm. The shell of the Control brain cracked, shifting apart to reveal an empty cavity inside, and a seat covered in dust. "She must come back into darkness, or the planet burns."

 


	11. Reluctant Hero

Zim reeled back, shrieking, "NO! GET AWAY!" His hands flew up in front of him, glowing. "YOU HAVE THE BRAINWORMS! AFTER EVERYTHING DO YOU REALLY EXPECT HER TO JUST WALK BACK INTO HELL?"

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he heard Riddick say his name, but he would not hear it. He turned on Riddick, railing, "NO, YOU CAN'T TELL ME IT'S OKAY TO SEND SOMEONE BACK TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" Somewhere in his mind, it registered that he wasn't only talking about Gloria. "THEY SHOULDN'T EVER HAVE TO GO BACK TO THAT! EVER!"

He felt his feet leave the floor as Riddick grabbed his sweater and heaved him up. "Zim, breathe. Just shut up for one second, and breathe." He commanded.

"He knew persuasion would be necessary." Zim craned his neck to stare over his shoulder back at Selm, who murmured brokenly, "Forgive a fool, but bondage compels obedience. The full message must be delivered." An image sputtered in front of the Control Brain, stabilizing into a hologram.

A city appeared, and Zim felt a sickeningly happy sense just looking at it for no discernable reason. Citizens went about their business, meandering the streets and doing citizenly things. Suddenly, three shots of black light pierced the atmosphere, hitting three separate points in the city, one after the other. The citizens looked to the sky in fear, as the black lights vanished. Within moments, a giant Irken ship hovered overhead. The bottom of the ship glowed brightly, and then there was a flash of light. When it dimmed again, all that was left of the city was a desolate crater, and the ship hovered off.

The hologram flickered off, and Selm whispered, almost inaudibly, "It has happened as you have watched it. This, says the Warden, is the fate of the planet if she is not delivered."

Zim felt the floor beneath his feet again as Riddick slowly lowered him to the ground. "We don't have a choice," Riddick's voice was heavy. "And it's not our say in the matter anyway." Zim watched as Riddick turned, walking over to where Gloria still sat, frozen. "Maneem, once again it seems this universe asks too much of you. But, people are dying. Not Irkens… humans. And we're all going to die if you don't try."

"There is hope." Selm inserted, as if wishing to make up for the horror he'd just conveyed. "The darkness she will be cast in is only of the eyes. Each cage holds a Tallest, a leader of Irk, forming a hive network of minds in bondage. Walk the halls of the minds, and find the flame."

Gloria's eyes flickered slightly.

"Find the candlekey to flame, and set the captives free."

Selm's phrase flashed across Zim's memory, and he started. "Dane—Tallest Red, he said _that_ was the coded verse that let him to Sempadinum. That's how he saved Earth, through declaring that bond."

"And he would not have found it alone," Selm confirmed. "Just as you would never have been able to code genetic recognition by accident, you who could barely remember the code for orange."

Gaping, Zim demanded, "What else?"

"Many things, including the disabling of your PAK upon capture. Do you truly thing the empire would have cared if you had snuffed yourself out? I could not allow you to end your existence."

"But… why?" Zim asked, lost.

"Because the Warden has focused upon you and your twin a vile experiment. How much pain can one Irken take, and how much pain can one Irken cause? Think you it was mere accident that your mind, green droplet, was crippled so badly that you could only rely on blind emotion? And you, red droplet, that your heart broke so badly you could only rely on cold intellect? Tell me that day at the circus was an accident. The Warden chooses his timing perfectly."

"Perfect," Riddick seethed. "Gives us another excuse to bash his head in repeatedly."

Selm's voice was hopeful. "He has planned his moves for a thousand thousand years, but he has grown careless and created what he could not control. He is powerful but there are weaknesses. He broke your strengths against him, and you must mend what has shattered to understand how to bring him down."

Staring, Zim demanded, "Are you seriously telling me that this," he pointed to his head, "Is going to be where our plans come from?"

"Think, green droplet. How is it that you knew how to combat your other half with the weapon that you did, prior to your contract?"

"Black hole technology?" Zim blinked. "It seemed obvious. Riddick was using energy somehow, I just had to drain it away before it touched me."

"And yet that came to you even after your wits had scattered and only partially returned. There is strong reasoning in there that will riddle out the weakness of the Warden. And in the other, the strength of heart to see it done."

"In other words, Zim, we're going to tag team him into submission." Riddick cracked his claws. At Zim's puzzled glance, he shrugged. "I sometimes watched wrestling when it was on Galactic cable."

"But what does this have to do with Gloria?" Zim frowned.

Riddick put his hand on her shoulder, carefully. "What it has to do with Maneem is, someone has to break Danem out. And that has to be someone who's come to bond with him, enough to break through."

Selm thrummed in agreement. "Darkness she must face. But without the candle, the flame will die. Without the flame, the candle grows cold. Find the flame. Free the captives. The Warden has great strength in our captivity. Freed, his strength wanes. But she must not forget who she is. Even this arrangement the Warden knows that I propose. He will try and make her to forget who she is. All who have forgotten who they are remain forever enslaved, ever repeating their past at its worst."

She didn't move. It was as if she couldn't, like something inside was broken.

Riddick squeezed her shoulder. "Maneem, you have to say something. I know it's a lot to take in, and a lot to agree to, but the longer we wait the worse it will get.

It finally hit Zim, like a bucket of water in the face, what he was looking at. The blank expression. The unfocused eyes. The rigid posture. "No. No, don't you dare." He stalked over to her, planting himself square in her line of vision. "Don't you dare go back there! It took Gaz weeks to pull you out! It took your first mate five years before that!"

She sucked in a breath at the mention of her husband.

"Don't go there," he said lowly. "There is nothing there, do you hear me? Nothing! I've been there, I've lived there, and it drove me mad. The past will drive you mad. The questions will drive you mad. You're not being asked to be a victim!" The words came to him, even as he realized what Selm was saying. "You're… you're being asked to be the hero! The one that saves Irk, and changes the fate of a whole species!"

Slowly, Gloria's eyes focused on him.

"And Riddick and I are going to find that flirking Warden, this Yellow Eyes," Zim snarled, "And wring his filthy name out of him before we shred him down to the molecular level. You won't be in the dark long enough to lose yourself."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Gloria bowed her head. When she lifted it again, opening her eyes, the flat expression had vanished. Her jaw was set, and a calm determination lit her eyes. Quietly, she said, "I wasted too much time hiding in the past. I might have been able to avert this if I was paying attention."

Caught off guard, Zim backpedaled. "That's not what I—"

She held up a hand, stopping him. "No, it's what I said." She stood, straightening herself. "I am Co-Ruler of Irk, Lady Gloria. Tallest in name and bond, if not by birth." She turned to Selm. "You will take me to my Co-Ruller, Tallest Red."

Riddick slipped his hand into hers for a moment. "I believe in you Maneem. Stay strong, like I know you are."

She turned, pulling him into her arms tightly. "Please find me again," she whispered.

"If I did it once, I'll do it again," he promised.

Releasing him, she half-turned to Zim. Zim glanced away, then back at her, then down at the floor. "We'll find you." He said, in low tones.

She nodded. Bracing herself, she walked to the Control Brain, turning to seat herself in the chair. Wires began to form around her, but carefully—almost gently. She flinched as the wires broke skin at the base of her neck, gripping the armrests as they wound around her spinal column and hooked into the base of her brain. The panels closed around her, sealing her away from sight.

"I wish it were not this way, droplets." Selm sighed.

"Do what has to be done, Selm." Riddick replied, watching the spot where he'd last seen Gloria. "I don't blame you. I'm sure you've put enough blame on yourself."

"Blame enough is mine in truth. Little more can be done to help you. Attempts were made to warn the flame's prior counterpart, but it was too much for his mind."

"Purple?" Zim questioned.

"The dreams I sent drove him over the brink. The Warden came for him, and he destroyed himself before he could be taken. But two things I can tell you. First, though my body is dust from ages and eons, what is left of Selm will guide the candle as best he can. And second, you may find help for yourselves in the desolation that was left as a warning. The Warden has toyed with the residents of this planet for years, the Eyeball was not the only—" His voice cut off as electricity forked across the surface of the shell. "We… must leave…" he rasped.

"Understood." Riddick affirmed.

"Flight is suggested, but stowaways beware." Selm's wires began retracting from the doorway. "I take my leave, droplets. Take care and caution. The Warden is grasping to undo his mistakes." Drills and various damaged tools extended from the shell, as Selm dug backwards, shoveling the dirt in front of himself to cover his tracks as he ascended.

Riddick turned toward the ceiling. "Robot, are you there?"

"Ma…stah…" GIR's voice sounded woozy, as if he was waking up from a dream. "Hack… attempt…. detect…"

"Yes yes robot, it's alright. Listen, a city just exploded. It should be all over the news. Can you get the coordinates for us?"

"Yes," GIR managed, "Downloading in… Voot. Top level…"

Grabbing Zim by the shoulders, Riddick propelled him forward. "Don't you dare snap on me now. We're going on a field trip, and we don't have much time."


	12. Darkness Once More

The first few moments of pitch black were worse than the feeling of wires invading her body. In spite of the ancient appearance of the Control Brain, the interior was comfortable and still, and if they were in motion she couldn't tell. There wasn't a sound to be heard outside the pounding of her own heart. If she could have moved her hands, she would have touched her eyeballs to make sure they were still there. Her breathing shortenend, adrenaline shooting through her system.

Almost as quickly as it came, she felt it draining away. "Stop!" She clutched at the arm rests. "Don't regulate me! Stop that!"

"The desire to feel your own emotions and be in control of yourself is admirable," Selm intoned, the machinery thrumming around her, "But mistaken in this course of action. The stronger your fears, the more attractive a prize you will become to the Warden, and you do not want to attract his attention any further. Let him think you are stone before he thinks you fear."

"What are you doing with it?" She demanded. "It went somewhere, like it was draining away."

"It is best if the one who draws the attention of the Warden is myself." Selm's voice began filling with fear and anxiety. "It is long since he sucked my spirit dry of all but regret, which he still returns for on occasion. He will not be able to resist returning Selm to the cycle."

"The cycle?" She asked.

"You will see when you walk the halls, but take care to not forget yourself."

"What halls?"

"Silence, Candle. We have surfaced, and the Warden approaches."

Sound returned to her, abruptly, as though a filter had been dropped. One probably had. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, crunching toward them and stopping.

"So, you wish to play this game, Selm? One more desperate attempt to undo your decision? The futility is truly delightful."

Her heart stopped. That was Dib's voice. She opened her mouth, but the wires tugged her firmly.

"I see you take to yourself another body." Selm measured out his words. "Or is this just another puppet of yours?"

"Please, I am quite content in my own skin, but puppetry has its uses, as you know quite well. You've taken yourself one too. Do you really think this gamble will pay off?"

Selm remained silent.

Dib's voice dropped lower, hungry in tone. "The fear you offer me is quite wonderful, however I sense you have more than that to give. Perhaps, if I may even name it, hope." His laughter rasped. "There is nothing finer to be found than crushed hope." The footsteps retreated. "Make your move, if you must. I already know the outcome.

Abruptly the sound cut off again, and Gloria's breathing hitched. "What—"

"Stone!" Selm commanded. "Do not feel fear!"

She swallowed her panic, breathing slowly through her nose.

In a gentler voice, Selm responded, "A patrol is coming upon us. They will return us to the Massive, and enter us in the Cycle. Once there, Candle, you must find the Flame. He is flickering, flickering out. Find him, but beware. The Warden is there. Even unseen, the Warden is there. He seeks to make you forget yourself. Do not forget yourself, or you are lost."

"I don't understand!" She shouted. "How am I supposed to help him if you don't give me any instruction!"

"We've forgotten!" He thundered. "All in the cycle forget themselves and become what they are led to believe they are! The regret and anguish harvested provides strength and power throughout the ages for the Warden, you _must_ break the cycle!"

"How?" She strained against the wires. "How do I break it?"

"I can't say." Selm's frustration was palpable. "I am not allowed. You will understand more when you enter."

Gloria pounded a fist on the armrest in anger. She could feel her fist slide off the rest, slippery with dust, and sneezed. "You should have someone clean in here at least." She mumbled.

Selm was silent.

"And where are you? If there's an Irken in every Control Brain, I haven't bumped into you yet, are you on another side?"

"I never left the seat." He said quietly. "The genius of the tombs we built ourselves ensures our survival long after the body has disintegrated."

Gloria stiffened.

"We remain entombed, forever," his voice was softer. "Death would be sweet, but it is also denied us."

Silence filled the darkness, as Gloria tried to control her fear. She couldn't afford to think about the dust now, or even her own fate. She had to free Red. If she freed Red, she would also be freed, if she understood Selm correctly. That's what she had to remember.

She didn't know how long passed in the darkness, and the fear turned to mewling whimpers. She almost fancied she heard footsteps down a hall, coming to take her to the next breeding. The terror peaked, and began to drain away again, as Selm absorbed the chemicals flooding her brain. Her resentment lessened, replaced with a measure of gratitude. She wouldn't be able to do what she needed to do if she wasn't collected.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he whispered, "We arrive. Prepare, Candle. I cannot help you once we are in. I cannot help myself even." The filters slipped again, allowing sound to enter. She could hear metal scraping all around them, and machinery whirring and clicking. She felt the bulk of the machine around her settle into place. She could feel power, fresh power surging through ancient circuits and rejuvenating ailing energy reserves.

Ahead of her in the darkness, a rectangle of light flashed open, blinding her. She raised her arm—she could hold her arm up—and squinted at it. It appeared to be a doorway, but it confused her.

 _There was no door in the Control Brain._ She sifted through things Selm had said, trying to recall something that might help her understand.

_A network of minds in bondage._

_Walk the halls of the minds._

Was this in her mind? But it was too real to be in her mind… wasn't it?

She stood, unsteadily—she had barely been able to move before, she must be in her mind—and walked toward the light.


	13. Minds In Bondage

Gloria's eyes continued to adjust as she stepped through the doorway. She stood in a clear glass room, circular, with a rounded top and a flat floor. Black emptiness stretched on indefinitely beneath her feet, while a single light glowed from the top of the dome. At the opposite end of the room, a hallway stretched outward. Turning back, she found a solid wall behind her. The door had vanished.

With nowhere else to go, she stepped into the hall, hesitantly, arms wrapped around herself.

_Do not forget yourself, or you are lost._

_Who am I?_

The answer came, more quickly than it used to.

_I am Co-Ruler here._

She straightened, almost mid-stride, and dropped her arms to her sides. Her stride lengthened, and she kept her head up.

The hallway still appeared to be glass, though now she could see distorted shapes through the glass. Past more black space, she could almost make out other hallways, interconnected and crisscrossing, with blurred figures moving along the passageways.

She came to the first intersection and hesitated. What if she couldn't find her way back into her own mind? How would she be able to find the right chamber? She froze where she was. If she left, she might never find her way back.

But if she stayed there, she would not be able to find Red.

As she stepped into the intersection, she could hear someone coming up behind her. She whirled around, coming face to face with a Tallest.

She was only slightly taller than Red, with narrowed blue eyes and curled antennae. She was not, however, dressed as a Tallest. In fact, her gear reminded Gloria more of a soldier in combat. The clothing was loose and dark colored, to allow for movement and hiding. The belt at her waist was lined with daggers of various sizes, and three or four different blasters were holstered down her legs. One large rifle—or was it a cannon?—was slung across her back, and a grenade was strapped to each arm.

The Tallest grabbed Gloria by the collar, slamming her against the nearest wall and bringing a knife up to her neck, growling, "If the lower life forms want to end Irken occupation of their worlds, they need to send better assassins." With that, she ripped the knife across Gloria's neck, dropped her, and stalked off.

Gloria gasped for air, unable to breathe. Her vision swam as shock kicked in—and then receded. Reaching up, she felt her neck. It was whole. There was no cut, and she could breathe again. Pulling her hand away, she saw it was covered in blood.

_A network of minds. Does it mean it isn't real? I can't be killed here?_

She winced, wiping the blood off her neck. It _felt_ real enough.

She sat a moment, taking a few breaths, before pulling herself to her feet and continuing down the hall.

Through the distortion of the glass walls, she could see another figure coming toward an intersection as she approached. She halted, searching the hall for a hiding place, but there was none. If she turned back she might run into the violent Tallest. But would this figure prove different?

With few options, she began walking forward again, as the figure crossed into view. It was a miserable sight, a Tallest bent double to crawl the floor, with a table strapped to his head. He cringed on sight of her, his green eyes widening in fear. "Pardon," he whispered. "Sorry, be on my way." He scampered past her, pressing against the far wall as he did, as if afraid of a kick or a blow.

_All in the Cycle forget themselves and become what they are led to believe they are._

Neither Tallest she had encountered behaved as a Tallest. One had behaved as a Soldier in the heat of battle. The other as a slave.

_Selm said their Warden feeds off their regret and anguish. What is Red being molded into?_

The question, and its potential answers, gnawed at her. She pushed the thoughts away. She had to stay focused, she reminded herself, as she rounded a corner, and caught faint sounds of wailing. Hurrying toward the sounds, she passed into a dim-lit chamber. The glass walls were smoked dark, and the room divided in thirds by transparent separators. Directly opposite her, a Tallest lay on the ground, curled in a fetal position, clutching his antennae and grieving. She could see at a glance it wasn't Red, he was shorter, closer to Gloria's height. But maybe he knew where she could find him.

She lifted a hand to knock on the glass, when a movement to her right caught her attention. Turning, she saw a strange sight in the last section of the room. A line of Irkens, chained wrist to ankle of the next, shuffling in a straight line. On the antennae of each one hung a white tag with a strange symbol on it. Most were grossly overfed, with dull eyes and hopeless expressions. It struck her as odd that there were so many in such a small section of the chamber, until they disappeared into the side of the glass wall.

Holograms then, she decided. This was confirmed when a different view appeared. The line of Irkens shuffled into a sterile room, one or two at a time. The floor was covered in green liquid, and overhead hung large metal hooks, like the kind seen in butcher shops.

Understanding hit her, and she turned away, mortified. She glanced again at the Tallest curled on the ground. His eyes, a deep pine green stared at the holograms she had turned from, fixed on the images in horror.

Loud screams sounded behind her, but she couldn't bring herself to watch again. She crouched down and knocked harshly on the separator. Only one Tallest here would have seen the history of Irk as such. "Selm!"

His eyes shifted over to her, and for a moment, his horror drained away. Crawling over, he rasped, "Candle, go! Find the flame!"

"Where is he?" She demanded. "How do I find him?"

"Follow the agony!" He urged. "As you found Selm, find the flame. His horrors will endanger you if his self is forgotten!"

Gloria turned back to the holograms, a chill running down her spine as she watched an Irken's throat be slit by a butcher.

"Go." Selm's body had bloated, as if he had gained several pounds within seconds. On his antennae hung a white tag, with a strange mark on it. He lowered his face to the ground, grinding his forehead into the floor. "Find a way."

Stumbling out, Gloria fled the chamber, darting down the hall in a blind panic. She tore past several Tallests, some sniveling in fear, others roaring in rage, still others beaten messes that could barely move.

Red. She had to find Red. She knew his horror. She knew what brought him the most regret.

_No. Never again._

And there, the sound of agony. Someone was roaring and sobbing all at once.

Before her stretched a short hallway, leading to another smoky chamber. Without a second thought, she dove for the opening.


	14. Bonding Time

"Zim. Zim. Zim." Riddick kept one hand on the steering of the small craft he'd found in Zim's attic, and with the other kept poking Zim in the side of the face. "Zim. Zim. ZIM."

Zim had not stopped staring, unblinking, since GIR had surfaced the base just long enough to release them. A modified cloaking device hid them from Earthly and Irken eyes alike as they flew toward the coordinates of the obliterated city. Zim hadn't said a word.

"Zim, I swear if you don't snap out of it, I'll jolt you back to reality by ejecting you."

Zim batted at his hand, irritated. "How do YOU not overload on information like that?"

Shrugging, Riddick replied, "It's best to just take it in and move on. There's no time to break down. A town just exploded, and there will be another town, and another, and another. They won't stop just because they have Maneem. We have no time to waste. We _can't_ overthink, or we may as well be dead."

"Well I HAVE to think if we're to believe Selm!" Zim snapped. "I have to figure this thing out and somehow deduce the weakness of a creature that's millennia old and can turn whole species on their heads so EXCUSE me if I break down on occasion!"

"Well that's why I'm here, to drag your broken body along with." He reached over, pinching Zim's cheek. "Isn't that what a good brother does?"

Slapping his hand away, Zim growled, "You'll lose it next time."

"I don't know where you got your temper from, but it's most unbecoming. Try being a bit smoother. It's all in the voi—right. Sorry, just realized that's an impossible road for you."

"Swear to Irk Riddick, push me again. This has _not_ been a good day."

"Oh come now, I can't try and make light of the mood? I think given the situation, we could use a bit of small talk. For example, I saw a lot of stuff in your mind, and I can't help wondering, why was a nut-eating moose your ultimate weapon?"

Sulking, Zim glowered, "That was a long time ago. Besides, it scared Dib speechless. Did the trick."

"But it's a moose. How is a moose scary? I mean, those animatronic things at the dwelling of the 'Pizza Hog' I get, but-"

"It just was at the time." Zim interrupted, irritated. "You'd have to ask Dib, but he's not here. Idiot couldn't let go and move on and got himself possessed. Who the flirk would want to possess the Dib, he's smelly."

Riddick shook his head. "I kind of wish I had met you back then. You were just the cutest little thing. I could have tossed you around like a little ball, or held you in midair while you futilely kicked your feet at me. It's moments like that I miss out on."

"That's it!" Zim lunged at Riddick, tackling him to the floor of the cruiser. "I've had just about enough! Zim is not CUTE, Zim is not ADORABLE, and Zim is NOT TO BE LAUGHED AT!"

Riddick stared up at Zim, dully. "Oh come now, you _were_ cute. I'm sure there were others who said the same. You were especially cute when you were a smeet. Too bad I only saw that in your head, why couldn't you stay like that? Make my life loads easier, and I'd get someone to look up to me."

"I'm not cute! Stop saying that! I didn't even know you until you came crashing into my life yesterday!" He grabbed the collar of Riddick's cloak, seething. "Who are you to call me CUTE?"

"Well you _were_ cute, now. Not so much now. You lost the tiny look, kind of grew out of it, and now you're just, meh."

"I'm not a joke!" Zim drew back a fist, memories of the Tallests laughing at him radiating through their contact. "Stop laughing at me!"

Riddick stared up at him. "Zim. Calm down. I'm not serious. I hope you realize that."

Hesitating, Zim asked, "You're not?"

"Why the flirk would I ever be serious about that? Haven't you ever heard of playful banter?" He sighed. "Well, maybe you haven't, maybe that's my fault. I'm just pushing your buttons. I would never say anything like that and mean it. You're not a joke, Zim, I promise."

Zim sat back on his heels, letting go of Riddick. "Like when the Dib calls—called—me Spaceboy," he said slowly, "But didn't mean anything bad by it."

Riddick sat up. "Yes. We're brothers. We argue, we fight, in the end we don't mean anything by it and love each other no matter what."

"How do _you_ know this already?" Zim demanded. "It took Zim much longer than this to learn how family behaves."

"Because I had a family." Riddick paused. "I mean, sort of. I had Miestro."

Zim glanced away, a twist of shame at the memory of using Miestro against Riddick. "I'm sorry he did not survive."

"Yes. Me too." Riddick's eyes lowered. "Couldn't save him. That's when I got this power." His mouth curled wryly. "Instead of using it to protect others so it wouldn't happen again, I took more lives. Some hero, eh?" His mouth straightened out again. "At least you had an excuse. You were insane. I just closed off the world and deemed it all bad for taking away the greatest thing in my life. Unlike you, I was fully aware of every Irken I mutilated, and I didn't care. In my eyes, they truly deserved it. It's a bit harder to think about now."

Swallowing, Zim turned away, still nauseated by the idea. "Well, you're making the right choice now. I think the saying is, better late than never." He turned back, catching on something. "But, are you saying you won't… take them alive again?"

Riddick pulled his hat brim lower, sighing. "I don't think I rightly could, not anymore. If they were alive, and I had to see the fear in their eyes or hear them scream… I'd just see you."

Eyeing him for a minute, Zim said quietly, "Thank you."

Folding his arms, Riddick mused, "I'm glad you're taller anyway. If you were that bite-sized thing when I came here to kill you, it would have been too easy."

Zim flashed a crooked grin. "Never underestimate Zim of any size."

"What would you have done, crawled up my pant leg and bit me?... you would have."

Zim snickered, then blinked a moment, a thought hitting him. "You're on the floor."

"Indeed I am."

"I'm on the floor."

"Brilliant deduction."

"Who's driving?" Zim shrilled.

"Taken care of." Riddick brushed his cloak off. "You notice I didn't fight you when you tackled me."

Turning, Zim spotted Mikko at the controls, looking furious.

"You're idiots. Both of you." She spat angrily.

"Hey, don't pin that on me!" Riddick objected. "HE'S the one that tackled me out of the chair."

"You knew?" She demanded.

He shrugged. "The Control Brain mentioned a stowaway in passing."

"Yeah. He sprung me. As soon as GIR wasn't in control, I wasn't restrained anymore, and listened in."

"I wondered who would sneak aboard the ship. To be honest, my money was on the crazy haired woman, but you were up there. At least you can drive."

"Actually I'm just holding the steering," she replied tersely. "And it would be great if one of you would steer us out of the way of the oncoming building."

"Ah, well then." Hurriedly levitating Mikko out of the way, Riddick leaped back into the seat, veering out of the way.

Grabbing onto a seat for balance, Zim began, "What the flirk are you think—"

"Not a word, Zim." Mikko interrupted, glaring at him. He flinched at the sight of her cheek, still bandaged. "Not one word. I don't want to hear you go on about how it's dangerous, and how it's your thing to do. I've just about had it up to here with that."

"But—"

"I know you care, I know you worry, but it's wearing thin. I had to learn a blaster in secret with Dib just so I could figure out how to protect myself, when really _you_ should have taught me. But turns out I'm not half bad if I can outsmart the ringmaster over there."

"Mikko, I—"

"And if there is ANY guilt complex over a stupid set of scratches on my face, then here!" She slapped his cheek hard. "Get over it! We have to get everyone back, so don't even bother turning the ship around, cause I'll walk if I have to." Turning around, she plunked down in the rear seat, fuming.

Zim stood in place, stunned, unsure what had just happened.

"You are your mother's child, I see." Riddick remarked idly.

"Shut up, I'm still mad at you." She folded her arms. "You already dealt with it, I heard, and I'll get over it. But I don't like people hurting Zim."

"You care about him." Riddick shrugged. "I understand that." He glanced back at her. "Even if you hate me, I'll help get Dib back. Least I can do, hmm?"

"It's the least you can do, cause he's _your_ brother too, in case you forgot that detail." She shot back.

"Exactly. I haven't left out that detail. And at the rate you care about him, you'll end up my sister in law." At her narrowed eyes, he flicked an antenna and muttered, "Grabbed your wrist when you tried to assault me. Primary feelings were at the forefront, Dib and Zim most heavily on your mind."

Zim sank into the seat next to Mikko, his mind still trying to catch up with the conversation. Hesitantly, he put a hand on Mikko's arm.

"I forgive you already." She brushed his hand aside. "Let's just do something. I'm tired of being pushed to the corner."

With a heavy sigh, Zim gestured behind them. "Blasters in the back."

Nodding, Mikko left her seat to rummage for weapons.

"Be diligent with your weapons choice." Riddick called. "If what I think is there is actually there, we may be in for a fight."

Zim scooted up to the co-pilot's seat. "So that thing… that ridiculous looking thing… that's really what we're up against?"

"Ridiculous looking thing?" Riddick's head snapped around. "You know what this thing is?"

"I saw it for a moment. When it gave me my powers and dropped the…" he swallowed. "The first feeding by me."

"What did it look like?"

Zim glanced back, checking to make sure Mikko was busy, before leaning over to whisper to Riddick. Riddick's eyes bulged, and Zim watched him, confused. "Didn't you ever see it?"

"No, I didn't. Maybe that was part of its plan." Riddick glanced at Zim, perturbed. "Are you sure? I mean, you could have just been insane and hallucinated that."

Zim grimaced. "No, I'm not sure. You could very well be right, I'm not even sure I believe it."

"I don't like whispering." Mikko plunked down in the back seat, at least four blasters strapped to her person. "Are we almost there?"

"Coming up on it." Riddick veered around a skyscraper and into empty airspace. Below, all roads ended abruptly at a desolate crater full of jagged rubble and scorched metal frameworks of buildings.

"Well," Zim remarked, "I must have been hallucinating. Nothing that ridiculous could have possibly caused this, even using Irkens."

"Why isn't anyone here?" Mikko scanned the area. "This place should be crawling with swat teams and government agents."

" _Now_ who watches too many Earth films?" Zim teased half-heartedly. "They're probably afraid of being targeted. Looks like nobody's there."

"Almost…" Mikko pointed down into the crater. In the depths of the crater, a pink streak dashed back and forth, almost faster than the eye could move. It was trailed by a plume of blackish red smoke at every turn.

"Ready your weapons." Riddick turned the ship to land. "Looks like a fight."


	15. Foals in Love

The ship landed heavily at the edge of the crater, raising a cloud of dust and ash as Zim raised the hatch. Riddick stepped out, marks glowing, ready for a fight. "Alright, where did they go?"

Zim pointed, alarmed. "Pink streak headed right fit—OOOF!" he grunted as he was plowed over.

"Zim, I got you!" Riddick turned, catching the pink blur in a red bubble. He pulled it closer, and stared. Inside was a pink, poofy-maned horse. No, smaller than a horse… it was a pony. "What am I looking at?" Riddick demanded.

The pony grinned. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! Oooh," she looked around the bubble. "I love bubbles, where did this one come from? Oh! A red pool I bet, cause it's red. I like red balloons, do you like red balloons? Of course you do! You're positively RED! Redder than red, you're the reddest! Except for the green that's all over you too."

Staring, Riddick repeated, "I'm gonna ask again… WHAT… am I looking at?"

"It appears to be an Earthenoid horse… that talks…" Zim rubbed his head, standing. "How hard was I hit again?"

Pinkie bounced inside the bubble. "This is fun! This bubble's really strong, make some for my friends, and we can have a bubble race!"

"Bubble race—friends?" Riddick gaped.

From down in the crater, a heavily accented voice demanded, "Drop that pony!" In a southern twang. A lasso settled around Riddick's shoulders, yanking tight to drag him down into the crater bowl. He skidded to a halt at the hooves of an angry looking bright orange pony wearing a Stetson. "Ain't gonna say it again, mister." She threatened around the rope in her mouth. "You drop that thar red thang before I make sure ye don't know which way's up!"

Riddick released the red bubble, much to Pinkie's dismay as she plopped, dejectedly, to the ground. "So, can you remove the rope, then?"

The orange pony eyed him warily. "I dunno. Twilight, think we can trust this lot? Some kinda really defective ponies I reckon."

A purple unicorn trotted from behind a pile of rubble, squinting at Riddick. "I don't think they're ponies, Applejack. And I'm pretty sure we're not in Equestria anymore either, so they could be native inhabitants."

A voice from above shouted down, "So can I kick some answers out of them?"

The unicorn Twilight lifted her head and called, "No, Rainbow Dash. Maybe they can help."

Riddick stared at Twilight, like a deer in the headlights. Pinkie waved a hoof in front of his face, but he remained unblinking. "Who… who is that?" He asked.

"That?" Pinkie beamed. "Oh that's Twilight silly, she's my friend! She likes to read, and she's really good at magic, and she has a library with lots of books, and she's a student of the Princess, and—" She continued on as Riddick kept staring, silent.

"Hey!" The voice from the sky shouted. "Don't even think about it!" A blue streak shot downward, pinning Zim in place. "Saw you trying to get away! We need answers!"

"Mikko!" Zim squirmed under the heavy weight of a pony. "Get a stunner or something!"

Mikko hadn't moved from her position in the voot, staring at the ponies in slack-jawed wonder.

"Mikko!" Zim yelled, exasperated. "Stunner!"

"Oh my, that doesn't sound good." A timid voice whispered. Mikko looked down to see a yellow Pegasus crouched by the voot, shivering. "I don't like the sound of that."

Mikko slipped down next to the Pegasus, stroking her pink mane in a trance-like state. "So pretty," She murmured.

Riddick continued to stare at Twilight, as Pinkie continued on and on. Twilight glanced down at him. "Ah, hello. Excuse my friends. Applejack, let him go."

The orange pony frowned. "Twi—"

"He hasn't hurt anyone, and maybe he has answers."

Reluctantly, Applejack jerked on the rope, untying him in one move. Standing, Riddick began walking toward Twilight, in a trancelike state himself. Twilight blinked. Her horn glowed, cementing his feet in place with magic. "So… as you stand over there, sir, who are you and where are we?"

"I'm terribly sorry," Riddick blinked, looking down sheepishly. "I… just looked at you, and something happened. I don't now what… that's never happened to me before."

"Well, that's nice," Twilight shifted, "But can you answer my—"

Loud laughter boomed overhead, interrupting her question as a cloud of black smoke appeared over the crater, a pair of yellow eyes glowing from within the cloud. "Just as I planned it, the power of the Equestrians and the power of the Irkens gathered together, so I can destroy all at once! Starting with this one!"

A tendril of black smoke held a rather irritated white unicorn in midair.

"Well, I never!" The unicorn huffed. "Do you have any manners at all? Look at you, just a pair of yellow eyeballs really. How rude. Unhand me, I say!"

"Very poor choice of words." Yellow Eyes remarked, as Rarity was dropped.

Twilight bolted past Riddick, horn glowing, catching Rarity with magic before she could hit the ground. "Rarity, are you okay?" She asked.

"Disgruntled, darling, but not hurt." Rarity assured her.

Riddick shook his head. "What's wrong with me?"

"Maybe you haven't eaten in awhile?" Pinkie suggested. "Y'know that happens with me if I haven't eaten any pie, cake, or candy in awhile. Have you eaten any pie or cake lately? Or candy?"

"I'm not hungry," Riddick murmured.

Pinkie gasped. "There's always room for cake, silly! But maybe Yellow Eyes in the sky knows what's wrong."

"Maybe." Riddick agreed. Then paused. "Wait." He looked up, realizing the severity of the situation. "Oh no!" His marks glowed defensively. He'd been distracted, but he still didn't understand why he'd been distracted.

"Just what ARE you?" Zim demanded. "If you're going to kill us, I have the right to know if I was hallucinating you or not before I die!"

The Yellow Eyes crinkled in amusement. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt now, would it?" The black cloud dropped away to reveal a small gray Pegasus, with bubbles marked on its rear, and crossed yellow eyes. "BEHOLD, AM I NOT TERRIFYING?"

"Hi Derpy!" Pinkie waved a hoof, grinning.

"Wait," Riddick protested, "It's a HORSE?"

"Not a horse, a Pegasus, silly." Pinkie corrected. "Don't you know your Equestrian history?"

"Not really…"

"Now you will all die!" Derpy thundered, pulling out an Irken plasma cannon, and pointing it at Twilight.

Riddick's head whipped around. "NO!" He shouted, darting over with a speed he didn't know he had, tackling Twilight out of the way. Panting wildly, he looked up. "DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Forming a red cannon of his own, he shot it at Derpy, who easily evaded. In the back of his mind, he wondered where all this emotion was coming from, but pinned it on the fact that he hated Yellow Eyes so much.

"Is this another of your possessions?" Zim snarled at the sky.

Laughing darkly, Derpy responded, "Why no, it's a special occasion to cause all your deaths, I came out myself just for that."

"Well then try this on fer size!" Applejack shouted, lassoing Derpy's wings to her sides.

"No! Rope!" Derpy gasped, falling. "My only weakness!" She hit the ground hard, sprawling, as a yellow contact lens popped out.

"Alright you ruffian," Rarity stomped over. "I know a poorly made disguise when I see one, off with that hideous mask!" Grabbing the ear between her teeth, she yanked. The entire head came off, revealing—

"Zim?" Mikko shrieked.

"Ooooh, what a Twist!" Pinkie gaped. "I did NOT see that coming, WOW!... who's Zim?"

Meanwhile, Riddick helped Twilight up, completely unaware of the goings on, and squinted at her. "Forgive me for asking this, but… have we met before?... that's a stupid question, isn't it." He glanced away. "I think I would remember a talking purple horse with a horn on her head. I don't know, it's just… something about those eyes." He shook his head. "I just feel strange about the situation, that's all. Maybe I'm just being foolish."

"A little bit." Twilight agreed, pulling down his eyelid and mouth with her hooves, checking. "Something's off with you. Have you taken any potions lately?"

"No, no potions." Riddick stood, placidly allowing her to check.

"Waaaaaaait a minute," The blue Pegasus said, staring down at the Irken she still had pinned. "If that up there's really the green guy, then who do I have?" Reaching down, she grabbed his antennae in her teeth and pulled. The head came off to reveal a frightened looking yellow sponge with tear-filled eyes.

"That's no fun!" Pinkie pulled at her head. "Mine doesn't come off."

"My… name is Spongebob," he whimpered. He pointed to the sky. "He made me do it…"

Zim blasted out of the Derpy-suit, hovering with PAK jets and shouting, "That's right! I am Zim, and I have done all this to ensure that I REGAIN MY RIGHTFUL PLACE, THE PLACE ABSORBED BY THAT QUIVERING SPONGE!"

"I just wanna go back to the ocean!" Spongebob sobbed.

"What did you call me earlier?" Riddick asked Twilight, dazed.

Twilight blinked. "I called you sir, because I didn't know your name."

"Riddick," he said softly. "My name's Riddick."

"Alright then, Sir Riddick." Twilight nodded. "Where are we again?"

"Sir… Riddick…" He cupped his hands to her cheeks gently, and leaned in to lock lips with her, eyes shut, antennae limp, marks glowing.

Spongebob began sobbing rivers of tears, as Zim shrieked, "SILENCE YOU FOOL! THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO NOW, THE WORLD IS MINE! OW!"

A yellow blur shot up from the ground and slammed into him, punching repeatedly. "NOBODY THREATENS MY FRIENDS!" Fluttershy shouted.

Mikko stared up. "I thought she was gentle… is someone singing?" She glanced over to see Pinkie Pie bouncing and singing an up-tempo happy song, subtitles appearing in front of her as she did. She plucked a sentence of subtitles out of the air in front of her and threw them to Fluttershy, who used them to continue beating Zim.

"My squeedly spooch!" He wailed, as the organ flew off stage-left.

Fluttershy stood on her hind hooves in mid-air, a giant glowing ball appearing between her front hooves, growing brighter and brighter, larger and larger. "SPIRIT BOMB!" She roared, hurling it down at Zim. That half of the crater exploded—again.

Pinkie flew back against the crater wall, and peeled off flat as a pancake before re-inflating. "HER POWER IS OVER 9000!"

Meanwhile, Riddick pulled back from Twilight and stared into her eyes, like he was seeing her for the first time in a whole new light. He leaned against her, calmly resting his head on her neck. "I've missed you."

Kneeling, she curled up around him. "I missed you too," she murmured, a lifetime of memories flashing across her mind.

As Pinkie called for reinforcements, and began shooting Tallest Purple, Tallest Red, Gloria, and Professor Membrane out of her party cannon at Fluttershy, Riddick just leaned contentedly against Twilight. "I had the strangest dream. I was in a story where every other person died, or was depressed, or insane, and it was written by two crazy people at the same time. I was also taller. That was nice, but you weren't there."

"I know." Twilight nuzzled him. "It's alright. The nightmare's over. We can live happily ever after now."

Pinkie grabbed Professor Membrane, shaking him. "DON'T YOU DIE ON ME! Didn't you die already? WELL DON'T DIE AGAIN!"

Membrane reached out his arms to her, moaning, "Braaaaaaaaains…"

"WAAAAAA! ZOMBIE!" Pinkie screamed, shoving a pie in his face.

Riddick chuckled lightly, a smile crossing his face. "Happily ever after in insanity, eh?" He sighed contentedly, resting against her. "Sounds about right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PFAHAHA. The look on your faces is great. No, it's not canon happy April Fool's Day. Tropes featured: multi-toon crossover, pony invasion, movie line quotes, "my one weakness" trope, tipping the hat to multiple shows, 4th wall humor, fan-work (Smile HD), the usurpation of a cartoon's rightful place on a channel, and randomly falling in love within seconds as well as a whole past life nobody knows anything about. So, yeah, no. However if you have any suggestions for my canon I'd love to take your calls. (US) 1-985-655-2500. Right now I'm only taking phone calls to that number, so no messages about it.


	16. Dust and Ashes

Riddick set the small ship at the edge of the crater, raising a cloud of dust. Before the dust had a chance to settle, the hatch popped open and Zim spilled over the side, quickly followed by Mikko and Riddick.

Mikko brandished her blaster, stalking toward the edge of the crater. "That time arguing would have been better spent learning control of your new powers, for the record." She tossed over her shoulder.

Zim groaned. "I'm going to be in trouble with her for awhile, aren't I?"

"She's just angry over things." Riddick shrugs. "Whatever they are, once you resolve them she'll forgive you."

"Somebody's over-optimistic." Zim turned to the crater, peering over the edge for a way down. Green energy formed spiderlegs from his back where his PAK used to be, and he clambered down the side. Mikko found a spot a few yards off where the incline wasn't as steep, sliding down to the bottom as Riddick glided down on a red platform.

Once they had regrouped at the bottom, Riddick spoke up. "Alright, we need a plan. You saw the streaks going by, right? I'd assume the pink one is in danger, and the black one, well… I think we all know what that is. It seems focused on the pink streak. If we can concentrate a blast, we may be able to disperse it, and maybe see what the pink thing is. Chances are, if the pink thing is being chased by… it… then it's on our side."

"You two probably have what it takes to disperse it, but you need it away from the pink streak." Mikko twisted a dial on the blaster, the muzzle glowing a deadly orange. "I'll get its attention. Zim, if you stop me, I'll stun you." Lowering her head, she darted forward.

As Zim flailed in place, Riddick folded his arms. "I'll give her a lot of points for determination."

The pink streak and the black cloud rounded a pile of rubble, headed straight for Mikko. Dropping to one knee, she got a shot off at the black cloud. The pink streak peeled off to the right, disappearing around another twisted wreckage, but the black smoke hovered in place above Mikko. A pair of eerie yellow eyes formed, peering down at her.

"Well well, quite a bit of anger there. What's wrong dear? Missing your boyfriend?" The voice sang in a twisted double tone.

Mikko's only answer was repeated shots that vanished harmlessly into the smoke.

Zim's flailing ceased, and a grim expression replaced his panic. "Now, Riddick. We need to do it now. We lost Dib when he held onto anger for some reason, I don't like the way those eyes are looking at her, I can't lose her to that thing too!"

"I got it Zim." Riddick stayed where he was, eyeing the cloud above Mikko. "You don't think I know what I'm doing?"

"Well what ARE we doing?"

"Punch your fist through the ground," he instructed. "Force your power through the cracks, and envision green spikes exploding up through the earth below the cloud." Above the cloud, little red balls were forming. "Would be nice if you did it soon."

Zim didn't think twice, slamming both hands through the top layer of ash. As green spikes the size of trees shot up under the cloud, Riddick clenched his fists, whispering, "Blood Rain." The balls exploded, raining down crackling, burning red energy on top of the smoky cloud.

The cloud slammed down onto the spikes, emitting a grunt of pain, but the eyes glinted with a dark humor. "Riddick, I thought I smelled the stench of betrayal." The cloud began to dissipate. "Have it your way," it said, dismissively. "I got what I wanted, and it's time to see how your mother's integration is progressing anyway." Its laughter faded as the eyes and the cloud vanished.

Riddick's eyes narrowed. "Well, that seems to have worked for now. Oh, make a mental note, Zim. You'll need cool names to say as you do your special techniques. Always nice to trademark them."

Zim stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously?" He panted. "At a time like this, _that's_ what you're thinking about?"

Riddick shrugged. "Well, I have more control, so thinking up names comes to me a bit easier, but I'll do this one for you. That one can be Emerald Undertaking. Good, yes?"

"Zim needs no silly names." He muttered in disgust.

The pink streak flashed by them, the speed of its passing all but ripping Riddick's cloak off. "Right, the pink streak. Perhaps some barriers to try and stop it? Seems a bit flustered."

Zim's eye twitched. "You're always too calm. It's making me nervous." Turning, he raised a wobbly sort of wall in front of the streak, which immediately changed directions. Blinking, he raised another. The streak ran up the wall, over, and down the other side, continuing to dart about as if it was being chased. "Exactly what is this?" Zim gaped.

"It's coherent, at least." Riddick noted. "Which means we need your favorite technique." Concentrating on the streak's erratic movements, he thrust out his hand, palm outward, and scooped the forefront of the streak into a red sphere, almost collapsing at the impact. The streak circled the insides of the sphere at such speeds, the ball appeared to glow bright pink. Blasts of ice and heat slammed sections of its interior at random.

Zim stared at the sphere, pointing in alarm. "WHAT IS THAT, AND ARE YOU SURE IT'S ON OUR SIDE?"

"Rrrrrgh!" Riddick staggered closer to it, keeping his arms outstretched. "Calm down will you?! It's gone!"

Raising his arms, Zim began forming patches over areas that had begun to crack. The ice and heat blasts intensified, almost frantically, as whatever was trapped inside the sphere rocketed off the side at impossible speeds.

Sweat rolled off Riddick's face as more cracks formed. "CALM DOWN, IF WE WANTED TO HURT YOU IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED BY NOW! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"It's no good." Zim continued patching frenetically. "If it's in blind panic mode—MFFF!—Might need to be stunned first. You can't reason in blind panic, I'd know!"

"Mikko!" Riddick barked. "Set that blaster to stun, and shoot right when I say!"

Twisting the dial, Mikko aimed the blaster, the muzzle glowing blue. "Ready!" She called.

"NOW!" Riddick shouted, dropping the sphere. As the word left his mouth, Mikko fired a stun bolt, dropping the pink streak to the ground with a terrific crash that left a mini-impact crater six feet across.

All three approached cautiously, waving the dust away. In the middle of the crater was a young woman in her late teens, around Mikko's age. Her clothing was blackened, scorched rags, her long red frazzled hair topped by the charred remains of some kind of hair ornament. Her eyes were wide and frantic, darting around. Her mouth moved, as if she were speaking.

"A girl?" Riddick blinked. He took a few steps forward, cautiously. "Um, hello there?"

Her eyes locked onto him, glowing.

"Riddick!" Zim shouted, raising a blobby green shield just in time to divert a heat blast.

Taking a few steps back, Riddick put out his hands. "Calm down. We aren't here to hurt you. Trust me when I say, with your powers, you'd probably be the one hurting us."

The girls eyes darted from Riddick to Zim and back. Her mouth continued moving, the words barely a barely audible list of names. "-llum…professor…mayor…. Have to help… Townsville needs me…"

Riddick looked around the crater. "Um…"

"THEY NEED ME!" She shrieked, her arm moving as her fingers flexed.

Mikko stepped back. "She shouldn't be able to move that fast after a stun shot."

"Ok!" Riddick called tersely. "Calm down. Your mind is obviously going a mile a minute, just take a second to breathe. Do that and maybe we can help you. What's your name? I'm Riddick, that's Zim, and that's Mikko. And we know what was chasing you. We've been battling that for a bit now."

The girl shut her eyes, her arm dropping limply as she heaved a sob. "He knew… he was just toying with us. We never really beat him…"

Moving closer, Riddick crouched by her, suddenly intent. "You've dealt with him before?"

"All the time." Tears streamed down her face. "But he was just letting us think we won… it was… just a game to him… he said so…" She slammed her fist into the ground, a crack running from under it to the edge of the crater. "Then he took it all. He must have told them our weakness."

Lowering her gun, Mikko slowly drew closer. "Townsville. Dib talked about this place." She stared at the girl in wonder. "She's a Puff."

"That doesn't sound threatening." Zim muttered.

"Where's the other two?" Mikko looked around. "There's three, all sisters."

The girl curled in on herself, sobbing.

Without taking his eyes off the girl, Riddick asked, "Mikko, would you tell us more about these… Puffs?"

"Dib said some infamous lab accident made three superpowered humans. Three little girls, back when we were all just kids. He used to try and get interviews with them, and he always came back a little bruised and singed. They never really wanted to talk to him, all he mentioned was something about Chemical X and a lot of monsters. He stopped going cause he didn't think he had to do anything, they had it all under control. The three of them protected their…" She glanced around. "…city."

"Did he say anything about a weakness?" Zim asked, glancing nervously at the girl. "She doesn't seem to have one."

Mikko shook her head.

"If they were formed by a basic compound and chemicals—and I'm not too huge into science, but—aren't there certain compounds that can destabilize others?" Riddick mused.

"An anti-formula?" Zim's eyes widened. "Three blasts, right before the city was leveled. Three blasts of something black."

"He pushed me out of the way." The girl moaned. "Why did he push me out of the way if he wanted us all dead?"

"He spared you?" Riddick stood, puzzled. "Did he want to see you suffer?"

She covered her face. "He would… whenever he attacked us, it was always to make us miserable, not kill us." Her body began to shake. "And Townsville. He knew… he knew I took it the most seriously… he knew… it's all my fault…"

Mikko sighed. "So those blasts Zim saw, they undid the other Puffs' powers so they wouldn't survive the big one."

"WHY?" The word burst out of the girl's mouth in an icy freeze Riddick barely dodged. "WHY are you aliens working for him? Why did you kill everyone?"

"We aren't!" Riddick protested. "Unfortunately, the rest of our species is entangled in a whole mess, played for fools and pawns in his game. I'm sorry they've gone down this path, but we're going to stop it. We're going to stop him."

"You can't stop him." Her voice was hollow. "We couldn't. Even if you think you can, you're kidding yourselves. HIM can't be stopped."

Riddick frowned. "Um, I hate to be a grammatic stickler in this situation, given the severity, but it's 'He can't be stopped.' "

Her foot lashed out, catching him in the shin and sending him flopping to the ground. "I don't make grammar mistakes! HIM can't be stopped."


	17. Rising Up

Riddick flipped forward a few times before landing and groaned, "Okay, my near broken leg believes you." He pushed himself up, gingerly shaking his leg with a wince. "His name is… HIM? Seems a bit egotistical, doesn't it?"

"Well," Zim snorted, "If he can corrupt an entire race, I'd say he earned a little ego inflation. You, what's-your-hair—"

"Blossom." She rasped.

Zim opened his mouth to ask a question, but Riddick cut him off. "Now you see Blossom, that's a nice name. Even matches your hair and… what's left of your outfit." Removing his cloak, he stretched it out toward her. "Here."

"Go away." She curled into a ball, shutting her eyes.

"Afraid I can't do that." Riddick replied, laying his cloak over her. "You see, I know you don't fully trust us and that's to be expected. Our species hasn't made a good first impression and all that. But unlike them, I have this thing called a conscience that's woken up lately, and I can't leave you here so that HIM can come back and kill you. I won't allow it. He's taken enough."

"He's taken _everything_." She quietly corrected. "I promised I'd never leave this place, and that's exactly what's going to happen. Nobody's left. Not even the Mayor or Mojo Jojo. All of them gone." Her voice shook. "What I wouldn't give to hear that monkey's stupid threats right now." She pulled the cloak over her head. "I failed."

Riddick glanced over to Zim. "Hey Zim, could you and Mikko go get the ship and bring it here? Distract yourselves a bit, I need a few moments."

Nodding, Zim gestured to Mikko, and they began the climb back up to the ship. Riddick stepped down into Blossom's mini-crater and sat by her. "Failure, eh? That's what you think you are?"

"The evidence says so." She responded dully. "Everyeone who counted on me is dead."

"Mhm. Well if you're such a failure with nothing to live for, you won't mind if I prattle on a bit then."

"If you'll go away after."

"As you wish." Riddick leaned back a little. "My story isn't as chemical filled as yours. I had a natural birth—well, as natural as you can be with a ruling Irken father forcing himself on a captive human female. I was born in a prison cell. All other births were killed on the spot or dissected. She hid me as long as I could since I was quiet. My twin wasn't so quiet, but he got out alive through a time experiment. My mother taught me my name. It was my first word. Eventually I was ripped away from her too, but got out alive the same as my twin." He nodded his head toward the ship. "That loud twin was the other Irken you saw, Zim. He's still loud."

A rock sailed through the air from the direction of the ship, knocking Riddick's hat off.

Blossom remained still, but was watching him from puffy red eyes.

Riddick replaced his hat idly, continuing. "I was found in some forest on another planet by an Irken. Since "Riddick" was the only word I could say, he named me it. His name was Miestro, and he was the head of a circus. He became my family. I grew up never knowing I had a mother, a father, a brother or anything of the sort. My only family was Miestro. He was my father figure."

Blossom's fingers tightened around the edge of the cloak.

"I idolized him. I wanted to be just like him, a magician. Someone who could bring smiles to so many faces. His acts were flawless. The crowd loved him. I loved him." He touched his hat gently. "He gave me this hat as a gift."

Slowly, Blossom reached up to touch a charred lump in her hair, that may have been some sort of hair ornament once.

"One day, though, we were working for a lowbrow promoter. He was very stingy with money. The conditions were bad, but we were short on money so he supplied the animals and insisted everything would be fine. But the trick where Miestro would switch out a ravenous monster with a beautiful Irkenness was unnerving. He'd done it seamlessly before, but the creature they had this time… it seemed extra unruly. I begged Miestro to skip his trick, I had a bad feeling about it. I'll never forget… he clasped my shoulder and said, 'My boy, these people paid to see a show. I know it isn't the most extravagant, it isn't the best, we aren't the most famous names. But those people out there, just to see them laugh and smile I would do this trick a dozen times over, even if it were a dozen times more dangerous. Just remember that, Riddick. No matter what, the show must go on!' " He looked down. "He died that day. The monster broke down that shoddy cage, and he couldn't escape. I would have died too if the stagehands hadn't dragged me out of there, kicking and screaming. The promoter blamed us. Said we did the trick wrong. Said we would have to pay the damages. That was the day I began to hate the world."

Blossom looked around the crater, bleakly.

"The promoter was a fat greedy Irken who didn't care for anyone but himself. I started to look at myself in the mirror. Miestro had sheltered me from our species. I thought all Irkens were as kind as him, because he never let me near the planets they ruled, or near their dealings. But with him gone, I studied up and learned how cruel and emotionless we really were. I wanted them all to suffer for taking away what I thought was the purest soul they had to a species. The anger and bitterness, it just built and festered in me. The circus folded soon without its main act, and I lost everything that was left. I was poor, alone, lost. At my most vulnerable. And he knew it."

As her eyes darted up to his, questioning, he nodded. "He just appeared one day. Just blackness all around me, with gleaming yellow eyes, and a voice like honey coated venom. He said he'd been watching me, he knew what had happened, that Irkens deserved a punishment for their misdeeds and I was the one to deliver it. I accepted any fate, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain." He ran a claw along his bare arms, tracing the markings. "He gave me my power. And then, I knew my vengeance was possible." He noted her body tensing at his admittance where his power came from, but didn't stop.

"I started my own circus, traveling the planets. Miestro's words drifted to the back of my mind. The smiles and laughter was nothing to me anymore. And every time I saw an Irken in the stands, I called them for the special disappearing act that ended every show. It would take them to a private room. I'd just tell everyone he was given backstage access to meet the performers, and they would leave none the wiser. See, there's a price for these powers." He watched her expression drawing tighter. "Once a month, I had to devour one of my own kind, dead or alive. But you know, that was no punishment to me. I wanted them to suffer. I was in a dark place, and it didn't matter what they had done. To me, they had all killed Miestro, and needed to pay. I kept them alive as long as possible."

"Why are you telling me this?" Blossom demanded, unsteadily.

He shrugged. "Because I never thought I would ever be anything different, until he ordered me to try and assassinate a woman and an Irken. Then I found out she was my mother, and he was my brother. I found her… I found him…" Gently, he took her hand, willing her to understand what he was saying. "Blossom, I know what it's like to have HIM take everything away. I've gone down the blackest roads possible, and he _steered_ me there. I know you're hurting, and you've lost a great deal and think you're a failure, because that's what I thought I was. But then I realized, you aren't a failure if you're alive and you have something to fight for. Maybe you think you have nothing left to fight for because everyone you cared for in this world is gone." He squeezed her hand. "Townsville may not be here anymore, but the rest of the world is. Other towns, other people with families who will be destroyed soon too if he isn't stopped, because he won't stop at Townsville. Unless you help us. You aren't a failure Blossom, because you haven't lost yet. Make sure he understands that his saving you was a grave mistake, let it be his downfall. I'll be right there with you to help take HIM down."

Her hand tightened on his, and she stood up, a little unsteady. Wrapping the cloak around herself, she said firmly, "If we're going get anywhere, I'll have to bring you up to speed on all I know. And you'll have to tell me how he got his claws in your species. Maybe then we can come up with something." Climbing out of her mini-crater, she spotted the ship, now parked nearby, and walked toward it ahead of Riddick. Her foot clanked against something and she stopped, looking down.

Riddick pulled up next to her. "What is it?"

Slowly, she reached down, picking up what looked like a small toy phone. It had been melted terribly, a grotesquely distorted smile on its face. She tucked it under the cloak, stoney-faced. "Just a memory."

Resting a hand on her shoulder, Riddick pushed gently. "Let's get you cleaned up and up to speed, hmm?" As they climbed into the ship, Riddick called, "Zim, take us back to the house."

"Before we go, I need to know something." Zim handed Blossom a datapad. "I need you to draw what this HIM looks like."

Taking the datapad, she scribbled on it, and turned it toward Zim. He glanced over at Riddick. "That's definitely what I saw."

Riddick shook his head. "Amaing what something like THAT can do. The universe is weird." He sat Blossom down and picked up a rag, gently scrubbing her face. "Can get you a little cleaned up, eh? While I fill you in." He blinked. "You know your face looks a lot better without the dirt on it. I mean, um, of course it would look better without the dirt. I mean, it brings out your eyes more. Which is a good thing. Your eyes are… very nice."

Zim shot him a weird look but turned back to the controls. "I don't think we're going back to the base." He tapped at a control as the engine thrummed. "You were right earlier. We're running out of time. And this HIM will only get more dangerous." Pulling a lever, he raised the ship. "Some pieces are starting to fit together, and we need to test a theory. It's time to bring back Dib."


	18. Once a Slave

As Gloria sprinted into the darkened chamber, she wondered if this approach was a mistake. Her error was confirmed at the click and hiss of the chamber sealing behind her, and the utter darkness of her surroundings.

_A trap._

But she had heard Red! She turned mid-sprint, her ankle folding and sending her collapsing to the floor. She bit the inside of her cheek, drawing blood. If this was a trap, she needed to stay quiet.

But she could hear herself sobbing and screaming.

Alarmed, she put her hand to her mouth. Her lips were pressed firmly together, but her voice continued, weeping.

_"Ulurich kansha stalint."_

Her stomach lurched and bile rose in her throat. _Not that voice. Not that language._

_"Lashna veszl frultor."_

She could not move. There on the floor she lay perfectly still, every muscle locked in terror. Maybe if she didn't move, he wouldn't find her.

_"Shvna yetahorgnoth."_

Every hair on her neck stood up. She could feel a presence hovering over her, whispering by her ear. She did not need a translator. She had heard it often enough.

_Once a slave, always a slave._

The words sank into her chest like a knife. She imagined she could feel the cold metal manacles faintly against her wrists. Imagined she could feel a draft where clothes had covered her.

"No!" The word escaped her lips, little more than a frightened breath. "Ruler!"

_"Shvna yetahorgnoth."_

She could feel claws traveling lightly down her shoulderblade, contemptuous as the whisper that licked her ear.

_"You cannot rule. You do not know how. There is only one thing you know how to be. Shvnaaaaaaa."_

She could not bring herself to look up. He would be there. He would be there, staring down at her, and then it would begin. Just as it always did. _It is dark. It is always dark. Dark. Dark._

But the whisper wasn't all that was there. She still heard her own weeping, not from her mouth. She still heard Red's voice, roaring in anguish. Quieter, dampened, but she could hear it.

 _Move._ She commanded herself. _Move!_

The tips of her fingers curled.

_More!_

Her palms pressed the ground.

_"Shvna."_

The weight of a body sank onto her back, and suddenly she was clawing and thrashing and hurling it off with a scream of horror. It was dark, too dark to see, but she knew that feeling, that skin. Or was it just her memory playing tricks on her?

 _"The slave wishes to see."_ The voice curled with amusement, a sinister double tone shifting from Red's familiar tone to something entirely foreign. Who was with her in the chamber? _"Let the slave see her downfall coming to claim her."_

Light against a partition, and she pressed against it, gasping and drinking in the knowledge that she had eyes to see the light with—until she saw what the second chamber held.

She had never been able to see the scene that now unfurled before her, and had never wanted to. The images burned in her mind as she watched, numb and aching and sick and dying all at once.

"Why are you doing this?" She whispered, as the hologram of her cried the same. She flinched at the strike her double received to the face in answer. She could not tear her eyes away, even as she felt herself growing colder and colder. _Stone._

She could see the violation. She could see her womb expanding, cradling new life. She could see the agony of birthing alone, and holding her child in her arms for a few moments. The image of the child flickered, changing rapidly. Some were strange, misshapen children, others nearly human, others nearly Irken. Always she would hold them, stand over them, blindly claw and scratch, bite and punch any guard coming near until they shortened her chains. Always crying, "Just let me keep her! Let me keep him, please! Where are you taking her? Please, just one!"

She could see the fighting lessen, reduced to whimpering pleas as the children were pried from her arms. She could see the children, taken to the laboratories. Pulled apart. Preserved in tubes. Used in experiments, mostly pointless. All with him, standing there. Watching. Then he would turn, gesture to a guard, and say, _"Grenthla ng Shvna."_

_Bring me the slave._

It was cold, so cold in the dark. She could feel the ventilation system puffing air past her skin. She shivered, numb as she pulled her arms and legs closer. They clanked dully, the manacles clacking against each other. A metal ring hung heavy around her neck.

_"Bring me the slave."_

She shut her eyes. She wouldn't look anymore. She couldn't.

Claws gripped her collar, wrenching her to her feet to stare into ruby red eyes, raking her with their gaze.

"Bring me the slave." He grinned darkly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw all partitions had dropped. The images had vanished. She had not found Red—He had found her.

Her arm shot out, her hand snatching at his antennae and yanking as hard as she could. He released her with a howl, his other hand coming around as a fist to slam into her face. She spun across the room, half dazed. Stumbling to her feet, she shook her head, tasting blood. A lot of it. The room was spinning, but she could see light. Instinctively, she staggered toward the light as fast as she could, her chains clanking with every step.

"Shvna!"

She fled, blind panic lending her strength. She didn't know where to go, she just knew she had to get away. She would find somewhere and hide, and never move again, and maybe he wouldn't find her.

She could hear his footsteps behind her, and scrambled faster. _Never again!_

"Shvnaaaaaaaa!"

….

_"How does it feel to watch how fast she forgot herself? How does it feel to know how weak your little ploy really was? Selm. You should know better by now. I always get what I want. I always win. Watch her unravel. Watch her surrender to the cycle, and despair."_


	19. Splitting Up

Carefully setting the ship down in an alley, Zim exchanged the cloaking for a hologram. Mikko stuck her head out of the ship, peering at their cover, and pulled back in, staring at Zim in disbelief.

"A white van with 'Free Candy!' on the side? Really?"

"Hey, everybody talks about it like it's the scariest thing they've ever heard of." Zim said defensively. "Nobody will come looking."

"And we're stopping here why?"

"More than just Dib needs rescuing, and I have to make something first." He gestured at the weapons cache. "Why don't you to get some target practice in the alley? There are some dumpsters there. Just make sure you have the sound dampers on."

Mikko nodded, brushing past Blossom toward the cache. Blossom had barely moved since she and Zim had stopped exchanging information on HIM, staring at the ground with a hard expression.

Riddick, who had barely moved from her side, attempted to lift her spirits. "So, did you have any favorite games as a child?"

She nodded. "Hide and seek. With my sisters." She bit her lip.

"Ah yes, I always used to play that game with Miestro. It was never fair when he hid. He knew how to make himself disappear. So, how strong are you exactly?" He flexed his legs. "My legs are still sore, and with my power I'm usually a bit more durable than the average being."

"We've thrown a few buildings at monsters when we needed to."

Riddick's eyes widened slightly. "Wow. Extremely impressive. Coupled with heat vision and ice breath? I can see why Townsville was saved so many times."

Blossom lapsed into silence. Mikko came back, heading for the hatch. "Good going, magic man."

Riddick signed. "Blossom... I know it's hard but ask yourself something. What would have happened to Townsville if you never even existed? Those onsters still would have, and they would have destroyed the town a hundred times over. You saved that town from overwhelming odds time in and time out. Townsville would not have lasted near as long without you there. It was just a target, for whatever reason, and you protected it as long as you could. For the people who never left, honestly, that's all they could ever ask for, that you tried and gave it your all for them. And you did, and they knew that."

Standing abruptly, Blossom headed toward the hatch as well. "I need some air."

Riddick laid his antennae back apologetically. "I'm not good at this you know, the whole... consoling thing. I've gone a long time with my emotions locked in a cage and well, sometimes I don't really know how to put things. Should I be blunt and just tell you how it is, or try and shield it from you to try and make it better? All I know is, for whatever reason, I don't want to see you unhappy. But the problem is, I still don't know what to say myself and how to say it."

Blossom paused for a moment, then slipped out the hatch. Riddick sighed, hanging his head.

Zim watched her leave, then glanced at Riddick. "Word of advice from someone who's lived with hyuman females for a few years?"

"Is it about that monthly thing? I've heard about that, how much shielding is required?" He raised a cautionary bubble.

"No." Zim shuddered, then sobered. "Sometimes when they're really upset, throwing words at them doesn't help. Sometimes you just sit quiet nearby. Even if they start talking, your mouth stays shut." His eyes drifted to Mikko, who'd picked a target at the back of the dead end alley. "Sometimes it doesn't feel right, but sometimes it's better that way."

Riddick sat again. "I guess. I mean, well… I'm used to my words getting me places. I'm not used to staying quiet, and coupling that with these new feelings and the blasted female high temperature patterns, I feel out of my element."

Leaving the pilot seat, Zim began gathering odds and ends from around the ship, including a few pieces from the internal workings of the ship itself. "High temperature patterns?"

"Yes." Riddick leaned back. "I thought that was a normal thing for females. I didn't notice it out in the open area, but I just assumed that the expelled heat was given more space to circulate. When I was in the ship with Blossom however, I felt increasingly hot. Especially when I was wiping her face, and staring at her eyes. It was peculiar, I'll say that much."

Zim blinked, then shrugged. "Well Zim has perfectly normal temperature and nobody else complained, so it must be you." Crossing his legs on the floor, he slid a toolbox out from under a seat and got to work.

"I suppose so," Riddick replied doubtfully. "I just feel strange all around." He ticked off items on his claws. "Trying to settle all of these emotions. Trying to learn to be kind toward you. Maneem. Having a conscience. Now my temperature is acting up? Why would my temperature act up around someone like Blossom? She is a perfectly normal superpowered female with lovely red hair and very radiant pink eyes which match perfectly with the tone of her hair and soft skin. I don't see why that would be strange."

Slowly, Zim's hands stopped on their tools. "SERIOUSLY?" He sputtered.

"What?" Riddick blinked, unaware of half of what he said.

Zim facepalmed. "For the love of Irk." He picked up his tools again. "Nothing, you'll figure it out soon enough."

"Figure what out?" Riddick sat straight up, glaring. "Hey, if you know something's up don't leave me confused and in the dark. If I can do something about these strange feelings, you tell me. It may get me more focused on the task at hand."

Zim stuck a tool between his teeth and muttered around it, "Well, I hear Maneem say strange sappy things like what you said sometimes, and that look on your face I've seen on Tom's, so figure it out and hand me that thing over there."

Riddick picked up the part and walked over. Just as he reached Zim, he dropped the tool on Zim's kneecap, ignoring his twin's pitched curses as his eyes widened in realization. "WHAT?"

Zim cradled his bruised knee, and glanced up at Riddick oddly.

"What? What is it now?"

"Something Selm said," Zim mused as he pulled facts together. "That this HIM broke our strengths, that yours was strength of heart. You keep saying you felt nothing for so long, and you're suddenly feeling everything. Perhaps because it is part of your strength, returning."

It was Riddick's turn to sputter. "But me... in LOVE? I mean...no that couldn't be, I mean, I just met her, I mean, sure she went through something similar to me, and sure she is very smart, very powerful, very..." He halted himself, shaking his head. "Alright, even if I do seem to care about her, what's the point? I just seem to make her more miserable."

Zim shrugged. "Maybe stop mentioning Townsville so much. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to figure it out on your way to get Gaz."

Riddick groaned. "So you're sticking me with the Ink Blot are you? Perfect, because we get along so well."

"Look, of the four of us nobody knows Dib better than Mikko and I. Besides, I have to test a theory." Reaching over to the control panel, he plugged a wire into the little orb he had fashioned, then unplugged it and held it up. "This should be just what you need."

Riddick blinked, taking it. "What is it exactly?"

Dutifully, Zim reached out and squeezed the orb. At once, soft classical music played. Squeezing it again, Zim turned it off.

"Oh, I see." Riddick nodded. Then realization hit. "Wait, if you and Mikko are going to get Dib, that means you're partnering me with…" he groaned. "Perfect, now I have two things to worry about. The angry rorshack test and my own stupid emotions."

Zim shrugged. "Maybe they'll help keep your mind off your worst fears, cause that's what she'll go after. If she's in the Armada somewhere, you know what they've probably done, so she'll need this. Oh, and don't call her 'sister,' she will eat you. Now, I have some questions. How far are we able to teleport with these powers?"

"The farthest I've tried, at full power, is the other side of a planet."

"Full power…" Zim took a deep breath, dreading his next question. "And how much did you have when you landed? Did you need to feed immediately after?"

"No, because I needed to teleport back. It would bring me down, but not completely. I assume you have something planned?"

Zim seemed relieved at his answer, and nodded. "Yes. One more thing. This whole sensing each other thing, I'm still having trouble placing it but I need to be able to sense you when I've gotten the Dib. Where do I find that sense?"

"You need to focus your mind and find my energy. It'll be much higher than anyone else around me—save Blossom. It should appear to you in the form of a visible red flicker. Our distance from each other will affect the shade of red you see. What you need to do then is try and get your own energy close to the red flicker. You should also be able to communicate with me telepathically. The closer we are, the easier it is, so we could try it now."

Zim snorted. "Thanks, but you in my head twice is more than enough for a lifetime."

"It would just be like a phone call, you worrywart." Riddick muttered.

Zim stuck his tongue out. "I'll just hang up then." He stood. "You and what's-her-hair should go then. Mikko and I will turn ourselves in. Someone egotistical enough to call themselves HIM would surely come and gloat.

Riddick frowned. "Her name is Blossom."

Zim grinned. "Mhmm. Thought so. Did that on purpose."

"Just for that, I'm going to tell Gaz that you wanted me to call her a sister and be bestest friends."

"She reads minds, idiot."

Riddick scorched a small section of the floor. "I'm not winning lately."

Zim sighed a little. "Look. It's about time I got a few wins, alright?" He rubbed his forehead tiredly. "And I'd better win this gamble I'm taking."

"You've played this many times and come out alive, haven't you?" I'd say you're enough of a psychopath to try anything." Riddick patted his shoulder. "Good luck."

Zim nodded. "Thanks." Standing, he opened the hatch. Blossom stood there, waiting as he exited, and stepping in. Zim noted the back of the alley was covered in ice and scorch marks. He put a hand out, keeping Mikko from heading back to the ship, and guided her toward the alley entrance.

Riddick glanced outside. "Um, a bit of a vent you had there?"

"Mhmm." Blossom seated herself in the co-pilot's chair. "So we're going to find a puddle named Gaz?"

"Yes." Riddick tensed apprehensively. "How did you know that?"

"Super hearing." She buckled up.

"Ah, super hearing. That's good, I don't have to explain the plan to you." He sat down. "Yes, that's quite good, that means you heard everything I… said…" he froze.

Blossom gestured. "The controls are right there in front of you. We should be going."

Riddick started the ship with a shakey hand. "Yes, we should." He turned the cooling vents on himself, a few shades of green deeper than before. "Off we go…"


	20. Not Crazy

"So what's the plan?" Mikko asked, stopping at the opening to the alley. To her consternation, Zim walked right out, dragging her out into the open.

"We get ourselves reported." He said grimly. "Shouldn't take too long." He saw at least three pedestrians whip out cellphones as he stalked past them. "Now listen. Don't do anything until I grab your arm again. When I do, everything's going to go dark, and I need you to get far away from me and find Dib. The real Dib, and I'd look for a padded cell. He's probably wrapped up in a straitjacket somewhere in there." He muttered, his upper lip curling as if the thought rankled deeply.

"Real Dib? What are you talking about?" Mikko demanded. "I need more info than that!"

"Don't know who's listening, Mikko." His eyes darted around. "It will make sense, I promise. Just wait until it all goes dark. I'm counting on you."

She faltered, shocked. "You… you are?"

"Did I stutter?" He snapped, tugging her onward. "Just be careful. And whatever you do, don't focus on your anger." He stopped, turning to stare at her. "Promise me, when you get angry you'll find something else to focus on."

Subdued, Mikko nodded. "I promise."

They walked on in silence after that. It wasn't long before Zim rounded a corner, faceplanting into a swat-team shield. Mikko couldn't stop in time, flattening him harder against it.

"Ow."

"Sorry."

Several SWAT team members converged on each of them, handcuffing them and shoving them to the ground. One of them spoke into a walkie talkie. "Targets obtained. Alerting the Diplomat, two Targets obtained." There was a pause as he listened to the radio chatter and nodded. Securing the walkie talkie to his belt, he turned to the team. "The Diplomat is on his way. Search them."

Zim twisted his head, watching in amusement as about seven blasters were removed from Mikko. She glared at him, mouthing, "Not a word."

They found no weapons on Zim, and just as they finished searching him, he heard a familiar voice sneer, "Well, look what space junk floated in."

Zim craned his neck to see Dib standing in front of him, arms crossed and smirking. His eyes still gleamed yellow. He gestured at the SWAT team. "Release them."

"Sir!" One protested.

"If he wanted to be up you'd all be in pieces," he said impatiently. "May as well let them stand."

As the hands released them, Mikko and Zim staggered to their feet.

"You'd know, wouldn't you?" Zim muttered bitterly, rubbing his shoulder.

Dib grinned. "Don't tell me you'd back out now if you had the chance. How was lunch dear? Made it especially for you."

Zim shuddered, clenching his eyes shut. His breath whistled through his teeth as he growled, "I want my brother back. I want Dib now, and you are going to give him to me."

"What makes you so sure he wants to come back?" Dib drawled. "What makes you sure he doesn't actually want you in five pieces for the whole business with his mother?"

"Because I know the Dib, and I know you took advantage of the situation, just like you take advantage of every situation I'm involved in." He snapped.

"That's a little narcissistic of you." Dib smirked. "What makes you so important?"

"I don't know, what _does_ make me so important, HIM?" Zim shot back.

"Aaaah, so Blossom Dearie spilled the beans. Only a matter of time I suppose, not that it matters." He stuck his face in Zim's grinning so widely, Zim wondered if his head would split. "You want him? Come and get him."

"I have a better idea." Zim's eyes narrowed. Reaching to his right, he grabbed Mikko's arm and slammed his left hand into Dib's forehead. "How about you come to me."

….

Mikko gasped as the city dissolved from around her and took on a warped, desolate appearance. The SWAT Team had vanished, along with Zim and Dib, and all around her was a ghost town. The buildings were abandoned ruins, covered in some sick, dripping vine. A cat darted across the street—at least, she hoped it was a cat. A few features made her unsure.

She had no idea where everyone had gone, but she was pretty sure Zim wasn't able to teleport a whole group of people away, or replace a city in a second. The last thing she'd seen was Zim grabbing her arm and putting a hand on Dib's forehead. Had he put her in Dib's mind? That would make sense, but where was Zim?

_I need you to get far away from me and find Dib. The real Dib, and I'd look for a padded cell._

Her eyes narrowed. No wonder Zim had been upset at the thought. Anyone close to Dib knew his deepest fear. He hadn't even had to explain it. She remembered walking with him at Skool before he'd graduated. Someone had brushed past him, muttering something. Dib had turned, fists clenched, and shouted, "I'm _not_ crazy!" in a voice a little too forceful and raw, like he'd said it countless times before.

A padded cell. Well, the first place to look would be an asylum then. This city vaguely resembled their own, and there was the Crazy Home for Boys near the hospital. She struck out in that direction, keeping a wary eye out. Dib's mind didn't look like a terribly friendly place.

It wasn't long before Mikko decided that she did not like being inside Dib's mind at all. She had to duck several creatures of various threatening appearances and unpleasant demeanor. She made it across the street from the Crazy Home, but there was a steady flow of creatures in and out of the front doors. They looked vaguely recognizable, almost like people from her city, but it was like looking at a demented funhouse mirror version of them.

She turned to a nearby dumpster. If she wanted in, she would have to blend in a little more. _Zim is counting on me._ She rummaged through the contents. She tore off patches of trash bags, sticking them to herself with used gum. She wrapped her face with questionable smelling gauze she found draped along the outer edge. She grabbed a broken bike pedal, a chain, a leash, and various other objects and tucked them into her clothing so that she bulged and poked at disturbing angles under her hoodie. She hid one foot in a giant stinky boot, and placed a plastic dummy's head over one hand. Turning toward the Crazy Home, she carefully waddled over, trying not to dislodge any of the junk.

Nobody gave her a second glance as she waddled in. A few bumped against her, but moved on as if she wasn't there. The creature people seemed to be moving in two directions, one line moving deeper into the asylum, and one out. She joined the line headed inward, marching past rows and rows of empty rooms with open doors. She turned to the creature person behind her, growling in her deepest voice, "Where's everyone else here?"

The creature person snickered. "Nobody else, just him with his big head."

Dib was the only occupant of this place? Well, if it was where he was being held…

Abruptly, they came to a door that swung in and out, in and out like one half of a pair of old west saloon doors. They filed in, one at a time, and spread out in the room. It was a fully padded room, divided in half by a pane of thick fiberglass. At the far end of the room, on their side of the glass, was the door to leave. On the other side of the fiberglass was the most wretched sight she'd ever seen.

Dib was there, alright. But not the Dib she knew. This Dib had huge, terror-crazed eyes that darted wildly around the room. Circles and bags hung under his bloodshot eyes, and he twitched and trembled convulsively. His upper body had been wrapped tightly in a straightjacket, and a chain locked around his waist anchored to the back wall—likely to keep him from slamming into the glass. His scythe of hair drooped, plastered against his head, and he moaned, rocking on his side on the ground.

"I think the fun's about to start up again!" Someone called. As they spoke a slot opened inside Dib's cell, releasing a small cloud of bat-winged syringes. Screaming, Dib bolted to his feet and tore to the end of the chain-length, falling flat on his face when he hit the end. The syringes hovered, dive-bombing his head. He rolled away, sobbing and kicking at them. From the same slot in the wall, pills began to pour in. Like water gushing from a hose, they spilled into the room and began swarming toward Dib like ants. He rolled away, thrashing and writhing as they crawled up his body toward his mouth. He clamped his mouth shut, breathing heavily through his nose as he kicked his legs as hard as he could.

"Crazy!" One yelled from the crowd.

"Freak!" Another shouted.

"Lobotomy!" One cheered. "Fix his head!"

Dib's eyes rolled over to the crowd, desperate and watering. Every one of them was laughing and pointing and enjoying themselves.

All but one.

His eyes latched onto her.

It wasn't so much a conscious thought as the feeling of his eyes resting on her, pleading that moved her feet. She shoved her way through the crowd and to the glass, slamming her fists on it.

The crowd behind her fell quiet. Dib raised his head. Nothing had happened, but she'd exposed herself. She tore off the gauze, dumping the junk with a few wriggles. "Dib!" She shouted. "Dib let me in!"

His eyes were wide as it sank in who she was. He opened his mouth to say something, but five pills jumped in. He spat them out, gagging and retching. She felt hands, tendrils, tentacles grabbing her to pull back.

"Dib!" She shouted.

A door appeared in front of her. Kicking free of the creatures holding her back, she dove for it. She yanked it open and darted through, slamming it behind her. She grabbed a syringe by the wing, using it to smash against the others, breaking them against each other. Holding the ruined glass remains, she knelt by him, sawing through the straitjacket. To her consternation, every cut she made in the cloth healed itself. A little chittering rose from the pills, and she could almost swear they were laughing at her.

She swiped them away from his face, and he choked out, "Please show me you're real, not a trick. Not one of them, I can't… can't take it…"

"Crazy."

Her head whipped around. Behind her, on the other side of the glass wall, the crowd had collected together into a solid group, glaring into the cell. "Crazy." They chanted, slowly. "Crazy."

She turned back to Dib, who had shut his eyes, moaning again.

She shook him. "No! You're not crazy, do you hear me? Dib Membrane, you're not crazy! You were right. Zim's an alien, he always has been. The whole world knows he's an alien, and that aliens exist. You're not crazy!"

"Crazy." They chanted.

He lifted his eyes to Mikko, twitching. "How do I know?" He rasped. "Maybe I am crazy. Maybe all that was a dream, maybe this is real."

"Crazy."

She grabbed him by the collar of the straitjacket and pulled him up to a sitting position. "Now you listen here Dib," She stared him down, "I did not get dragged into your mind just to leave you here a quivering wreck. Zim is out there somewhere fending off whatever took over your mind," She caught his cringe, "Yes. He's out there fighting for _YOU_ because he knows it wasn't YOU who stabbed him, but he does know it's YOU who stood up for him when almost nobody else on the planet wanted to. And right now your best friend is doing whatever it takes to make sure you wake up as YOU and not some creep with yellow eyes. Now you made that door in the glass, didn't you? Cause you saw they were going to take me away and you wanted me closer. This is YOUR mind, you can do what you want with it. So if I don't see that jacket and chain off in less than five seconds I'm going to have to do something drastic."

He blinked, taken aback. "D-drastic? Like—" He never got to finish, as Mikko pressed a kiss to his lips.

As she pulled back, flushing a little, she was pleased to note he was wearing his trademark black trench coat, and the chain lay broken on the ground.

His mouth hung open. "How did you…" He gestured at the chain.

"It's _your_ mind Dib." She shot back, standing. "I didn't do anything. Now, can you take charge of this place again?"

He stood, shakily. "I… think so." He raised his hands hesitantly, waving his arms. The crowds and asylum disappeared from around them, leaving them in the ghastly, deserted city streets. He grimaced. "I never got around to cleaning up."

"I noticed." She muttered. She glanced off in the distance, where dark thunderclouds were gathering. "Are you doing that?"

"No." He squinted at the clouds. A familiar shriek of pain tore through the clouds, and his eyes widened. "Zim." Without a word, he grabbed Mikko's arm and bounded up a slope that began to rise under his feet toward the clouds. A few seconds later they had reached the clouds. Without a moment of hesitation, Dib plunged into the clouds, through the connection into Zim's mind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say briefly that, this is not an accurate depiction of a mental institution, and it is not me saying that medication is a bad thing (having been on meds for nine years myself). However, I have had fears along the lines of what Dib has in here, and I believe that this is an accurate depiction of what he would most be tormented by—his terror of never being believed, medicated and locked away by people who he wants to believe in him, albeit exaggerated as he is prone to quite a bit of creativity, and creative people sometimes are their own worst enemies when it comes to imagination…


	21. Are You Suffering?

The inside of Zim's mind was as dank and dark as it was the last time he was there. The shadows still splayed across the walls, curling and coiling. Waiting for him to drop his guard. And standing across from him, shaking his head in amusement, was the strangest creature Zim had ever come across. He thought he'd seen him once, but he'd written it off as a hallucination until Blossom's confirmation. But there he stood, millennia of evil complete with lobster claws, makeup, and a tutu.

"Have to say, didn't see that one coming." HIM chuckled, crossing his arms. "But I'm curious why you think this is any better. If I'm directly influencing you, now, instead of Dib, doesn't that just give me more leverage?"

"Only if you're capable of taking control." Zim retorted.

HIM's eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge?"

"No." Zim stuck his chin out defiantly. "I just don't believe you're strong enough."

HIM laughed a shrill, thoroughly unpleasant laugh. "I've been manipulating your species since before you were born. I'm the reason you exist at all. I've overseen every major aspect of your life. What makes you think you are strong enough to stand up to me?" His voice deepened to a hellish rasp. "For all intents and purposes, you've just handed over an easier method of taking down this little uprising. Yourself. You've done this before, and seen the outcome. What makes you think this is any different?"

"The last time I handed myself over, I knew I would never be walking out." Zim growled. "This time, I know I'll come out on top."

"No logic, no reasoning, just empty bluster." HIM raised his claws, dragging them along the walls. "We'll see who comes out on top."

Zim's mind writhed in pain at the touch of HIM's claws, but he stood steady. The scratch in the wall widened, expanding into a ragged void of inky blackness. HIM reached a claw in, withdrawing images, one after another. "I think it's time we revisited a few things." HIM purred, "It's my favorite thing, watching Irkens be crushed by their pasts."

Zim reached out a hand to the wall, placing it directly over the writhing shadows. "You're a little late, HIM." The shadows drained into his arm. "You might have been able to crush me with my past if you came even a week ago. But there's nothing you can show me that I cannot counter now." He grinned, eyes darker, lips suddenly lined with teeth. "But go ahead. Let's play."

"Tell you what, I'll start off easy on you." HIM tossed a little black swirling ball up and down tauntingly on the tip of a claw. "We'll move up in difficulty and see how you do. Maybe you'll surprise me." He reared back. "But I doubt it. Shall we start with your exile?" He hurled the ball at the wall. It splattered, expanding to show Red and Purple, laughing, just like they did the day they'd told him he was a joke. The day he wandered out into the street without his disguise, hardly realizing what he was doing. He could see Dib pouncing on him with sleepcuffs, as he was carted away. The scene reached out to him with pitch black arms with hand that ended in, not fingers, but talons stuck straight onto the palms of the hands.

Placing his hands out in front of him, he retorted, "And because of that day, I found my family." A shimmering green screen spread between his hands, showing him being escorted to Tom and Della's household. The talons scratched against it, but could not get through.

"Very good," HIM purred, "Now what about the first time you met a morflar?" The scene changed, a black monster hovering inches from Zim's frozen, cowering form. "Nasty little crack in your sanity there."

Zim's arms held steady, and he grinned a wry, toothy grin. "The same insanity condemned me to exile to find my family, and even find a good Morflar!" Gaz flashed across the screen, squinting angrily. "She played for me." He growled, lowly.

"Ah yes, Gaz. She did warn you about the trouble bringing Red back would bring. Tell me," HIM conjured an image of the Armada circling Earth. "Was it worth it?"

Zim's eyes narrowed. "It was worth it. Earth was under the protection of the Irken Empire, and will be again once you are uprooted. He started playing right without you."

"Very good!" HIM clapped his claws slowly. "How about we up the stakes a bit? I seem to recall a few times when you were in quite a bit of pain." He reared back, hurling the balls directly against the green screen. They splattered against it, bringing images of Zim's two vivisections within inches of his face, as well as the beatings on Irk prior to his branding. He trembled, but his eyes darkened and he snarled, running his tongue over the razor-sharp teeth on his lips. "Didn't do me any good, no. But I lived. I survived. I didn't die and I didn't give up."

"Yes," HIM crooned, "Largely in part to your family, wasn't it? Especially your dear, precious sisters. I think this one had a lot to do with it?"

Zim reeled back slightly at the image of Tiana, stripped and huddled in a dark corner, crying.

"Naughty Zim, what was it like to hold her life in your hands? The one who trusted you, seconds away from having her life snuffed out by her dearest darling brother? Tell me, were you doing her good?"

The green shield wavered as the claws scraped viciously against it. "No way out," he mumbled. "Was no way out. But Zim learned. Learned keep playing no matter what. Always a way out, even when Zim's stupid." The shield defiantly flashed images of Dib and Tunaghost breaking them free.

"Ah yes, Dib. Or 'The Dib' as you so often call him. I seem to recall it being fairly easy to steal him out from under you." Dib's twisted grin appeared pressed against the green shield, as he stabbed a scalpel into Zim's side. "I believe the term is backstabbing? Although perhaps side-stabbing is more appropriate."

"That was YOU!" Zim roared, his shield crackling stronger, spikes jutting out. "YOU took advantage! I was confused! Disoriented! Struggling inside myself, and YOU stabbed me, wearing his face! Moving his body!" A spike shot forward, slamming through HIM's chest.

HIM glanced down, disinterested, and lifted his head. "My boy," he began, venomously, "If you truly plan on getting rid of me, you'll have to do a whole lot better than that. After all." He placed a claw on the spike, breaking it off. "I gave you those powers." He inhaled deeply, blasting a pitch black image at Zim. "REMEMBER?"

Blood. So much blood. And somebody was screaming. And somebody was laughing. And ripping. And tearing. Zim recoiled, his green shield cracking, like a spiderweb from the center. He'd expected this one, but it was still shattering to recall.

"Remember what you'll have to do every month for the rest of your miserable existence." HIM licked his teeth. "I may leave you alive after this is all over, just to watch you struggle with this, your life as a monster. An abomination."

Zim's arms shook with the effort to strengthen his shield, his toeclaws gouging the ground as he scraped backwards from the pressure. "Because… I… did this… I have… the strength… to protect my family. I'll never have to worry… ever again." His eyes stung. "I was never accepted by Irk. This changes nothing. And now, with Riddick, I have a chance to remove you."

"Are you so sure?" HIM hissed, smashing through the green shield like it was glass. Zim yelped as HIM's claws clamped down around his arms, sinking through flesh to bone. "Are you so very, very sure about that, _Invader Zim?_ Because I think you're never going to use your powers again." HIM's grin pulled ferociously at his cheeks, his eyes burning. "Because right now, I'm thinking up a very special rule for you. See, I can't take back my gift. Quite a waste really, I had high hopes for you. But I can modify the rules." His claws dug at the bone, and Zim gritted his teeth, barely breathing. "And now the rules say, not only do you have to consume one of your own every month, but every time you use your powers, you diminish your life. Every burst of power you send out drains time from your hourglass. Every shield, every teleport, every mental connection shortens your lifespan."

Zim could feel a roaring, jagged pain rip through his bones. He crumpled to the ground, arms still in HIM's grip, screaming in pain.

HIM released his grip, standing over the fallen Irken. "Did you really bet all your hopes on the idea that happy memories and sappy morality lessons learned would be enough to hold me back? You are such a waste." HIM hissed. "Surely even you must know this. You've done nothing but cause destruction and leave chaos in your wake. Because of _you_ Professor Membrane is dead, leaving a widow and two children. Because of what _you_ did, Tom now thinks you're dangerous. Because of _your_ needs, poor sweet Della is trying not to question her sanity after cooking what was once a sentient creature, and Tiana is lying down trying not to have nightmares so very hard, because she knows it would hurt _you_." He crouched over Zim, whispering, "Because of _you_ and your brother, I have the precious Candle in my grasp, and she is already crumbling. Because of _you_ , all is lost. And still you suffer. All you ever do is suffer and cause suffering. So tell me, Zim, wouldn't it be better if you'd never been born?"

Zim gasped for air, searching for an answer as the talons stretched toward him. Searching for a memory. A good moment. Anything.

"ZIM!"

His heart stopped, and he drew a long, shuddering breath. "Mikko," He croaked. A small green film stopped the talons, mere centimeters from his body.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" A second voice shouted.

"Dib." He launched to his feet, shoving HIM to the side and sprinting blindly toward the voice. He slammed into the taller boy, latching arms around his chest and burying his face there too.

Dib staggered backward, shocked. Even in his more vulnerable moments, Zim had never embraced him like this.

"M'sorry," Zim muffled into Dib's chest. "Sorry I messed up. I tried really hard. But it never works right, ever. I'm sorry about your father. I'm sorry about your mother. I'm sorry I can't beat HIM. I'm sorry he's going to kill us all. I'm sorry…" His body shuddered with shame at his defeat. "I really thought I knew how to stop HIM."

Dib's arms closed tightly around Zim, and he closed his eyes. "I'd forgive you, but you don't have anything to be sorry about. You're right. You just did the best you could do. You always do, no matter what Zim. You tried. I'm sorry, I let him in. I couldn't let go of it, and then it was too late. I'm so sorry." His voice wavered.

Zim couldn't respond, only give a tiny nod into Dib's chest.

"Guys!" Mikko's voice sounded excited. "Look up!"

Zim turned slightly, as did Dib. A much larger golden shield was pressing the black talons backwards, and HIM along with them. HIM struggled against it, smashing at it frantically with his claws.

Dib blinked. "The power of familial love?" He quipped.

"Too easy." Zim managed weakly, although his mind was already whirring with possibilities. "Too obvious, and my memories would have held him off if that was the case. Has to be something else. What—" He bit off his sentence as HIM vanished and the talons cleared away. His eyes widened as he heard a shout from what sounded like a SWAT Team megaphone.

"OPEN FIRE!"

Turning to Mikko and Dib, he grabbed them by the shoulders. "Back to your minds, hold tight!" He propelled them each back to themselves and spun around, flinging out his awareness to search for Riddick's energy.

_Not enough time._

With a groan, he opened his eyes to see a platoon of SWAT team members opening fire on the three of them. He raised a blobby bubble around them, his left hand still on Dib's head, his right still clutching Mikko's arm. He broke out in a sweat as he continued trying to search for Riddick with divided attention. But every time he almost thought he'd pinpointed his twin's location, the shield would shudder, drawing his attention back to it.

He could feel time seeping out of him the longer he held the shield. This method wasn't working. With a fierce cry, he blew open the shield, sending a shockwave through the ranks. Windows on nearby buildings up to three stories above shattered, and the SWAT soldiers were blown back into little piles like they'd been swept there by a giant broom. Shutting his eyes, he flailed desperately for the location of the red flicker.

There. There it was. His claws latched onto his brother and sister, and he fled toward the flicker with his whole being.

Air left his spooch with a rush as he felt years peel off him like layers of skin being ripped from his body. The pain crackled along his bones as his feet felt ground and his knees gave way. His eyes cracked open briefly as he fell, catching sight of a pair of startled red eyes and a shadowy black form bent over him.

"Oh Gaz, tell me Riddick got here already," he moaned, "I don't think I can fight you—" his voice trailed off as he lost consciousness.


	22. Planning Ahead

Blossom hadn't spoken once since the ship took off. She'd watched the control boards and shielding with mild interest as they broke through the atmosphere, but once they were in space she merely stared forward.

Riddick had also remained silent, hands grasping the steering of the ship like it was about to fly apart if he didn't. Everything that he had said, everything he knew, everything he felt was swimming through his head over and over. His muteness belied the tangle in his head, and the more he tried to straighten it out, the more knotted it became.

Finally, Blossom spoke. "What's your plan for getting to this Gaz?"

He continued staring forward.

Her head turned slightly. "Do you even have a plan?"

Blinking a few times, he looked at her. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Do you have a plan for getting to this Gaz? Or approaching the fleet," she gestured to the dots ahead, "Without drawing their attention? Or are you just charging in headfirst?"

"Oh, um…. yes?" He swallowed.

"Yes to what?" Blossom pressed impatiently.

Riddick frowned. "I don't know." He stared down at the steering. "I just don't know anymore. I don't even know what I'm feeling." He hit the steering wheel angrily. "Can I just go back to when I was cold and calculating without all… THIS going on?" He motioned to his head and chest. "My feelings of having a mother, about my brother, caring at all for a whole world about to go extinct, my feelings when I look at you…" He hit the steering wheel with the flat of his hand over and over. "CAN THAT ALL GO AWAY SO I COULD MAYBE THINK OF A PLAN?! COULD IT?!"

Blossom stared at him, face flat and unmoved.

He took a few deep breaths, then put his face in his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to just come out like that."

She turned her face forward again. Quietly, she suggested, "Come around behind the fleet. If they're all pointed toward Earth, and if they're as arrogant as you and Zim make them out to be, they won't be expecting an attack from behind. Or a rescue."

Antennae lowered, Riddick took the controls again, steering them on the suggested course. "Blossom?"

"What."

He paused. "I'm sorry I feel the way I do about you." He admitted. "It's obviously upsetting you, and I feel awful about it."

Her head swiveled around to him, a look of disbelief plastered across her face. "Exactly how long ago was it that you lost this Miestro of yours?" She demanded.

He was taken aback at the question. "Quite a few years back, I was young. Why?"

"One word, yes or no. Have you forgotten what that feels like?"

"No." He responded instantly.

"Really?" Her eyes narrowed. "Because I think you have. Or maybe you just don't know enough to apply it in this situation, so allow me to clarify something for you." She leaned forward. "Your mother was just burned alive. So was Zim. And Earth, if you care anything for it at all? It is also completely wiped out. Suddenly a stranger comes by, tells you everything will be alright. Helps you stand up again. You're grateful the stranger helps you stand up again. Then the stranger realizes they have feelings for you, and has the audacity to think THAT is what is upsetting you. Let me tell you something, Riddick," Her tone sharpened. "I still don't know you from Adam. I knew Mojo Jojo better than I knew you, and he was a crazy monkey I had to keep throwing in jail. And I just lost EVERYTHING. If you think what you said has an ounce of bearing on anything right now, just think for a few seconds about whether you really do remember what it was like to lose Miestro, or if you've managed to recover somewhat, and count yourself lucky that much time has passed." She swiveled forward again, almost snarling, "Just because I'm not curled up in a crater right now doesn't change anything I was feeling."

Riddick's antennae lay limp by the end. His voice was very low as he responded, "That's exactly why I wish I didn't feel this way. You don't need anything extra, and neither do I. I don't know why I do. It's just… there. When I see how upset you are, I just want to try and make it better. Even if I can't, and it's hopeless to try, I want to."

"Well you—" She cut herself off, pursing her lips hard and taking a deep breath in through her nostrils. She tried again, in a slightly softer tone. "You can't. All we can do is what we're supposed to for our part of the mission. At least…" She took another deep breath. "We can try and save what's left."

Riddick shot her a side glance. Townsville really must have been her whole world if she thought of the rest of Earth as "What's left." Even so, he couldn't stop the confusing muddle whirling between his head and his chest. "Alright. I apologize for thinking your smile would be a marvel to behold—" he winced. "I'll just… try and bottle up my mind and focus."

"You're going to have to." She leaned her head back. "There aren't any smiles left, and we have to focus. It will help if you explain about Gaz, and why you call her 'Puddle' and 'ink blot.' I take it she isn't one of you."

"No, she's different. She's sort of a shadow thing that eats Irkens. I don't know about humans."

"Well that's kind of important to know." She rubbed her eyes. "Tell me what she can do, and how we're going to break her free. And why she wouldn't just eat you."

"Transformation mainly. And teleportation. She's quick. Zim gave me this," he held up the orb. "Loud sounds can really hurt them, but soothing sounds can heal them. He believes this orb, which he programmed with classical music, will calm her. I suppose that will be one thing in my favor. I also have my power, which will come in handy."

"Calm her?" She glanced over. "If we're rescuing her, she's prisoner. If she's prisoner, she's probably been hurt by sound, I'm gathering." She sighed, mumbling, "Wonderful. Monsters with transformation abilities are so much fun to fight. At least she's a friend of yours, that should help."

"It should…" he sounded unsure. "The problem is, if she's been there awhile, who knows what they've done to her. I'd like to say this will be easy, but knowing my luck lately it won't be."

"Probably not. Do you have any idea where in the fleet she is?"

"Wherever there's more of a guard clustered, due to her importance." He cleared his throat. "I suppose it would also be helpful to mention, she sort of hates me, because the last time I saw her I was still trying to sort of kill her family."

Blossom groaned. "Wonderful. Could this day get any better?"


	23. Fear the Darkness

"You realize this is too easy?" Blossom hedged from her hovering spot, just behind and above Riddick. She came down to the ground, walking a few steps before hovering again. "We should have been spotted by now. Why isn't there security at every door? For that matter, why didn't they ID us when we docked?" She touched down again. "The whole thing smells funny, Riddick."

"I know." He hadn't stopped checking his surroundings since leaving the ship, but Blossom was right. No one was around. "I have a feeling there isn't going to be a problem getting to Gaz. Something's probably happened to her, and they _want_ us to get there."

Blossom adjusted the cloak, which she'd wrapped into a makeshift tunic for herself. "Given what you've told me about her, that could be a serious problem."

He glanced to her, and away quickly. "Hopefully I can just do what I did before to incapacitate her if she is too hostile, then turn this on." He held up the orb. "If she can't eat humans, she'll be attracted to me. You have super things, right? Could you use your voice at a high frequency?"

She turned her head away. "That was… that was Bubbles. Bubbles could do that."

"Oh." He winced.

Blossom raised her head as she lifted off the ground again. "There's a large cluster of voices up ahead. Stationary, maybe keeping watch over something." She tilted her head to listen, and pressed her lips in a thin line. "They're talking about a morflar, and saying that word over and over again. We're walking into a trap and everyone knows it."

"What other choice do we have? It's either this or wait to die. We just need to play their hand and beat them at it." He blinked. "Do you always alternate hovering and walking?"

She settled down quickly. "I don't like this situation." She mumbled. "They know something we don't, it makes me anxious."

Riddick nodded. "Good thing I'm perfectly calm." He said steadily, his claws clicking together in an ongoing pattern.

Glancing over at him, she set her jaw. "She won't eat you. She won't get the chance." She cracked her knuckles. "Wait here a minute." She rounded the corner. As Riddick waited, he could hear several startled shouts, which quickly fell silent. "All clear!" She called.

He swung around the corner to see several Irkens frozen in place, ice locking them solid and sealing their mouths. "Is it wrong to say I admire your handiwork?"

She shrugged. "Just a normal part of the job." She turned to the door the Irkens had been surrounding, kicking it down flat. Riddick stood outside, hesitantly as Blossom hovered in. The room was pitch black. He could hear Blossom call, "No light switch. I thought you said she was fast. If I was her, I'd have darted out the door by now."

"Maybe she's restrained. Or not in the room… above it? Below it? Besides, you're not her direct target." He reached to adjust his cloak, before realizing it wasn't there, and lowered his hands. He muttered. "The second I go in the door is going to seal and I'll be stuck." Marks glowing, he raised his hands, forming small balls above his claws. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He stepped into the room. As he did, the red balls over his hands flickered out, and his marks stopped glowing. He dropped to his knees with a gasp as the walls lit up with marks. It was ancient writing, carved glowing and red into the walls. Behind him, the doorway cracked to life with a force field.

Blossom was at his side in a moment, demanding, "What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

"The room just negated my powers." He gritted his teeth. "Flirk it all, I should have seen this coming. He gave them to me, of course he'd know how to combat them." He lifted up his hands grimly. "I'm useless."

 _"I wouldn't say quite useless."_ Something cold brushed past Riddick, making barest contact with his arm.

Blossom turned about, searching the darkness. "Who's talking in my head? Is that Gaz?"

"RRRRRRGH." Riddick dropped down, clenching his jaw as his fears were laid bare. "Yes… in… head…" His eyes lost focus for a moment. "Mommy… don't go…" He slapped himself. "Flirk! The orb, where did it go?"

A pair of red eyes opened across the room. The glow from the writing on the wall was just bright enough to illuminate the orb she held up in a tendril. "Finishing the job? Not today."

Blossom stepped in front of Riddick. "That thing is supposed to help you. The other one, Zim. He sent it."

 _"Liar."_ Blossom was hurled into the wall as the voice hissed in their ears and minds.

"Blossom!" Riddick turned to Gaz. "Gaz don't do this, I promised Zim I'd rescue you! A lot has changed!"

Gaz turned baleful red eyes on him. Her form flickered wildly, like a picture constantly interrupted. _"Know what I think?"_ She swooped in close, leaning over him with burning eyes. _"Think the hunter's never been hunted."_

He sucked in a breath. "Gaz," His eyes clenched, his hands balled up. "She's safe."

 _"I know."_ Gaz whispered, brushing tendrils past his face. _"And if I take you, he lets her go."_

A blast of heat rippled through Gaz's body. She turned, almost disinterested, toward Blossom overhead. "No heat no help, no heat no help." She darted up into the air, shifting as she did. Blond pigtails sprang from her head and a blue outfit covered her body, but her face was a grotesque, melted imitation. She moaned, _"Blossom, why didn't you save Townsville?"_ Then cackled painfully, as if at a dark joke.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Blossom shrieked, breathing an icy blast at her. "YOU ARE NOT HER, HOW DARE YOU!" The ice passed through harmlessly, as Gaz continued to laugh.

Riddick rolled away, groaning, "Gaz, if you kill us you'll only help HIM. Do you really think he would hold up his end of the bargain? Look at you! You're just his prisoner, doing his dirty work, like I did!"

Snarling, Gaz batted Blossom against the wall again, turning toward Riddick. _"Oh I won't kill you, no."_ She descended to the ground, her twisted face leering as she approached. _"Not for a long, long time. How about a magic trick?"_ She twisted, her form growing. _"Let's make the pretty girl go away."_ Her body morphed into a creature he'd only seen once. A short stumpy body sprouted dozens of tentacles, its back armored with spikes. Its head, only a massive mouth with eyes set in the sides, the edges lined with rows of needle-like teeth.

Backing up against the wall, Riddick pleaded, "Gaz, don't do this… please…" his eyes widened. "DON'T…"

Her eyes burned as her mouth gaped over him. _"Your fear smells fantastic."_

A pink blur slammed Riddick out of the way, as the jaws snapped shut on thin air. He slid to the floor, staring blankly and shaking. "Miestro…"

Yanking him to his feet, Blossom shouted, "Snap out of it! Nobody else dies today!" She scanned the room as Gaz whipped around. Slamming a fist into the wall, she listened as a crack ran up the side and rained debris down into the room. She could hear it hitting something small and metallic on the other side of the room as Gaz darted directly for Riddick.

Coming to, Riddick leaped out of the way, scrambling to his feet and running for his life. "Can't fall apart," he panted, "Be strong. For Zim. Maneem. Blossom. No one else dies today!"

 _"Go ahead. Run, hunter. There's no way out."_ A tentacle shot out, wrapping around his ankle. _"There never is."_

He fell to the ground, balling his fists. "You're wrong, Gaz! You're wrong!" He shouted. "Even if you don't think there's a way out, that's because you've lost all hope. Hope will show the way!"

 _"You talk too much."_ She snorted, as cold tendrils brushed over him.

"Riddick!" Blossom shouted, cranking her arm back from across the room. "CATCH!" She hurled the orb at him.

Reaching up, he caught it. "Then maybe I should just shut up and take action." Giving it a quick squeeze, he turned, throwing it straight into the gaping mouth.

Gaz sputtered, releasing his ankle and losing shape. She melted back into the far shadows. Blossom dived forward, grabbing Riddick and dragging him back into a far corner, taking up a defensive stance in front of him.

"Uuuugh." He shuddered. "This was an unpleasant experience." He looked up, gratefully. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for you."

"Save it." Blossom returned tersely. "She's still over there somewhere. I'm not sure calming her nerves will keep her from eating you."

"I just need a few breaths, and then I can explain the situation to her with a more even mind on both sides." He said, as much to himself as to her.

He never got the chance. A tendril wrapped around Riddick's ankle, jerking him up into the air. A second tendril wrapped around his head, ripping through recent memories. Feelings. Situations.

"NO!" Blossom launched up to Riddick, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "You can't have him!" She growled, shielding him with her body.

"Relax," Riddick sighed shakily. "She's just catching up. She isn't killing me. She's just reading my mind." He blinked, turning dark green as he realized Blossom was wrapped around him. "Um… um… um…"

Gaz released him, dumping him unceremoniously on his head. _"Un-flirking-believable. First Zim is family, now you."_ Her form flickered spastically, and she growled. _"Flirking Irkens. And what the hell happened to Zim?"_ She demanded. _"I've half a mind to go on a pure lobster diet. Nobody scares that little worm but me."_

Blossom unwrapped herself from the still sputtering Riddick and dragged him to his feet. She kept a hand on his shoulder, eyeing Gaz suspiciously.

The morflar doubled over, flickering madly and moaning.

"What is it now?" Blossom demanded.

 _"Sonic bonds."_ Gaz grated out.

Blossom tilted her head. "Is that the pitched whine?"

 _"Yes."_ Gaz rasped. _"It's inside me too… the music only counters so much…"_ Her flares shot out wildly, her eyes shut. _"They're making it worse. Figure something out fast or it's round two."_

Riddick shook his head. "I'm useless with this," he gestured at the writing on the wall. "Otherwise I'd find them and destroy them. Blossom?" He turned, but Blossom was no longer there. The corner of his mouth curled just slightly. "She's such a fast actor."

Gaz gasped as Blossom tore through her out the other side, grasping three small devices. She crushed them in her hands, hurling the remains to the ground. "NOW are we clear?"

 _"Yes,"_ Gaz managed. _"Just… hold tight…"_

Blossom blinked, alarmed. "Hold—"

Gaz swept over her, enveloping her, and turned to Riddick.

"Yes, no time to waste, let's go." He nodded, and everything went black. Seconds later, he felt the ship's steering in his hands, and blinked at the light. Next to him, Blossom sprawled in the co-pilot's seat, visibly pale and trembling a little. A black puddle lay on the ground between them. To his relief, all the markings along his arms glowed with full strength again.

"Morflars can also travel with people, first time's usually a ride." Riddick grimaced. Perhaps a more complete debriefing would be in order next time a rescue was attempted. "Are you ok?"

"Couldn't… feel… anything…" she quavered, as faint strains of classical music floated out of the black puddle.

"That's usually what it's like. You'll be alright soon." He poked her arm lightly. "See, you can feel now, all better."

Blossom turned to the puddle. "And she won't…?"

"She's recovering. She won't eat me now, unless I piss her off, which I likely could. Zim told me I have a knack for it. Don't I, sis?"

Gaz reared up, eyes burning. _"Push it, Irken scum, I dare you. Unlike Zim, I actually will kill you if you push me too far."_

Riddick rolled his eyes. "Relax will you? You need to learn the concept of… a… joke…" he frowned, feeling a frantic burst of energy heading in his direction. "I think we need to move. Now." He revved the engines up. As he did, all the security that was so sorely lacking on their entrance sprang to life. A claw clamped onto the ship, and the exit crackled with a force field.

Blossom lifted her head, turning toward the entrance. "Lots of company on the way."

Gaz turned toward Riddick, alarmed at a different problem. _"Do you smell despair?"_

"I'm not a morflar, so no… not really?" he answered.

A flash of green light lit the inside of the ship. Mikko and Dib tumbled to the ground, and Zim stood in front of Gaz, waving like a drunkard. He stared up, dumbly. "Oh, Gaz, tell me Riddick got here already," he moaned. "I don't think I can fight you—" His voice trailed off as he collapsed.

"Well, the gang's all here." Riddick sighed, as troops poured into the docking bay. "That's nice."


	24. All the Marbles

_Dark. Dark. Dark. So dark. Dark._

It was dark when Gloria came to herself. She wasn't sure where she was, but reaching out to each side she encountered shelves, and a door directly in front. A closet, perhaps, although what purpose one would serve in such a place she had no idea. Perhaps as hiding places from the more aggressive Tallests.

She couldn't hear Red. She must have lost him. She sank down, crouching, her eyes glued to the thin line of light at the base of the door.

 _I was too late. He's already gone._ She lifted an arm, hearing the rattling chains. _I failed._

She could feel blood running down her side, her chest, her back. She must have encountered some of the more violent Tallests along the way, but she couldn't remember. She felt along the shelves for a cloth to clean herself with, momentarily grateful that this place did not allow for her actual death when she was attacked. Then again, she wondered, would she come to wish for death? Her thoughts drifted to Red, and she pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes. Yes. If he was in this state, she would come to wish for death. It was only a matter of time.

Her hands found a rag, and she snatched it up, scrubbing at her skin. Her clothes had vanished, her chains clanked with her frantic movements. _It's all in my head, I'm ruler!_ She scrubbed at her skin harder. "I'm ruler!" She said aloud.

Footsteps passed by the closet, and she shrank back until they passed.

_No ruler reacts like that._

She choked back a sob. If she made a sound, he would find her again.

_I'll just stay here. If I don't move again, he won't find me. Nobody will. Nobody dies here, so I won't starve. I'll just stay still._

"Lady."

She spun around, heart in her throat. The light from the crack under the door shone dully on a pair of Irken eyes. Her mind scrambled to place the voice before she fell apart.

"Candle."

Her terror crumbled, and she collapsed forward, clinging to Selm and sobbing. He felt different, much larger and squishier. His arms were thick and clumsy as he patted her back.

"How did you," she managed, "Where-"

"You were fleeing through the halls, knowing nothing." He answered. "The Flame behind you. I stalled the Flame, then found and hid you here."

"Stalled? But how…" She could feel a thick, sticky wetness on his skin. Immediately she took the rag she'd been cleaning herself with and applied it to Selm, wiping away the blood.

"I'm sorry." His voice was barely a whisper. "You couldn't keep yourself. The Candle forgot. The Candle lost herself. I should never have tried. Should never have expected the Candle to perform such a feat. And now, she is trapped in the darkness forever too." He sighed deeply. "The Warden was right. Always right. And even now he reaps my fallen hopes for strength."

She bowed her head. "What hope did I have?" She asked, lost. "What was I supposed to do here?"

"It cannot be spoken."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"He will take everything." Selm's eyes shut against the horror of the idea. "He will wring every last drop dry and then make me a part of himself. Perhaps another… another, someday… but I cannot let myself be taken by the Warden, or there will never be an end."

Something in Gloria's stomach turned at the mention of another. She asked, "Have you done this before?" His head turned away and her voice sharpened. " _Look at me!_ " He turned back to her, cringing. "Have you done this before? Have you taken others into this place, hoping they would free everyone?"

"I had to keep trying!" He pleaded. "I had to fix it!"

"So you brought them in, over and over, telling them nothing and keeping them until their bones turned to dust too, and just _hoped_ that it would fix itself?" Anger lent her a harder tone and pulled her to her feet as she stared down at the Irken before her. "Hoped the problem _you_ created would just go away without you having to give up anything?"

He turned his face down. "I am afraid." His voice cracked. "Ashamed. Afraid. Ashamed. Afraid. Ashamed." His claws made circles around each other, over and over.

"What happened to them?" She demanded. "When they failed, what happened? Are they still here?"

He shook his head. "Not here, not in the Cycle. Only Irkens in the Cycle before the Candle. But, before, others wounded by Irk. Hateful, raging, vengeful. Slowly changing, reaching out to one Tallest each. Then," he made a motion, covering one hand with the other, "Snuffed out by the Warden. Too close to the answer."

"What is the answer?" She shouted. "How am I supposed to do what I'm supposed to do if nobody tells me?" She grabbed his shoulders, hauling him to his feet. "You're the one who started all this, you tell me—" she paused. He was shaking in her grip, his eyes shining, liquid on his face glinting in the dim light.

_He is lost too. He's been lost for much longer._

She took his claws, stilling them. Willing her voice to be softer, she asked, "Selm. When will it end?" He cringed back from her, but she held his hands, gently but firmly. "When will it end if you keep going this way?" She could feel him quivering. "You're asking me to face something horrifying. I need to know what I have to do. You have to face this. And maybe what you say about the Warden… maybe that will happen to you. But maybe this finally ends."

"And if it doesn't?" He gripped her hands so tightly she thought they would break. "If I fall and the Candle fails then no one will be left at all to try again! Understand what you ask of me!"

"Understand what you ask of _me!_ " Gloria returned. "You ask me to go out and do something you will not explain in the hopes that I will somehow save your people, and if I fail you will move on. But if I fail, then the Irkens will enslave or kill my planet, won't they?"

Selm's head bowed. "They already plan the division of your people. Experimentation for the sick and old, labor for the able-bodied."

"Selm, you have to tell me. If I have a chance, you have to risk with me."

His head lifted briefly, his eyes taking her in. Quietly, he quavered, " _There_ is the Ruler."

Her eyes widened. She had been moving her arms, and hadn't heard the chains once since she stood. Touching her arms, she felt silky cloth.

"Candle, answer me this. Your planet at stake, yes. But what of the Flame?"

Her stomach twisted slightly. "What about him?"

"That is my question." He scrutinized her. "What of the Flame?"

It was her turn to hesitate and look away. "What will happen to him if I fail?"

"You have seen. What happens to all. And if he gives enough regret, the Warden will do as I have feared for myself. Take the Tallest, make him a part of himself. There were once more Tallests than you have seen here. Those with the most grief vanish one day. Never seen in the Cycle again. He has not taken me only because it amuses him."

Gloria shut her eyes. Red. No, Scar. Scar would be lost forever in this place, behaving like a crazed despot, driven mad by his own regrets.

_He regrets what happened. He always has._

"I would free him if I could." She said quietly.

Selm released a sigh, slow and heavy as if long-held. "Then," he replied, "Give what he seeks."

The closet flooded with light. Gloria stumbled back, squinting against the light. Selm was shaking again, horrified.

"He knows." He whispered. "It begins…" Opening the closet door, he thrust Gloria out. "Light the Candlekey to Flame!" He cried. "Give what he seeks."

"What's happening?" She cried.

"He takes our shell!" He groaned. "Into himself. The Warden takes us. I will hold as long as I can. Go. GO!"

Gloria fled down the hall again. _What does he mean "Give what he seeks"? He can't mean…_ She shook her head. There had to be another meaning. "Scar!" She shouted as she ran. "Scar!" There was no time, she had to find him and figure it out on the way. "Sca—"

A hand grabbed her wrist, wrenching her around hard to face him. Stripped to the waist, his upper torso lashed with scars, he leered down at her. "There's nobody by that name here, Shvna."

For a moment, her chest lurched, and she froze.

But then, she saw her arm. Covered in a rich, royal purple silk that trailed at the wrist. Rings on her fingers, gleaming with seals of authority. Not a chain to be seen.

_I am ruler here._

_I am not the first brought for this task. The others before me faced this, and were killed first. What was the task?_

_A bond established with the Tallest that wounded them. Reaching out._

_Give what he seeks._

There. It clicked in her mind, and she lifted her eyes to stare at him, level and calm. He yanked on her arm, pulling toward a doorway, but growled as he found himself unable to budge her.

"Not so fast." She said quietly.

He tilted his head, grip tightening on her arm.

"Come with me. Now." She turned, her hand wrapping around his wrist. Walking on, she ignored his shock and outrage as she effortlessly towed him forward. "There's something I have to do."

…..

_You broke the rules, Selm. Rule-breakers pay the price. It was fun while it lasted, but it's time to end this. Now, you will help me. Both of you. Fight it if you wish. It only prolongs your sssssssssufffffering…._


	25. Unfriendly Fire

"Zim!" Riddick had abandoned the wheel of the firmly clamped-in-place ship in favor of shaking his twin. "Zim!" Zim flopped unconsciously as Riddick dropped him. "Flirk! What happened to him?" He demanded, turning to Dib and Mikko. "There's no way he should be weak right now, why is he unconscious?"

Dib hardly heard Riddick, his attention on the black shadow that had attacked him, draping down the front of his body. "Gaz?" He staggered back. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Mikko knelt beside Zim, trying to pull him into a sitting position. "I don't know what's going on. He sent me into Dib's mind to free him, then when we joined up in Zim's mind he was facing off with HIM. Ran over to Dib saying he was sorry for messing up and that we were all going to die… and then there was some glowy stuff that threw HIM out when Dib hugged him. Then suddenly we're here—where is here?"

"A ship." Riddick responded. "Specifically a ship in the Armada. We got Gaz—well, Blossom got Gaz-free. Something put my powers out of commission and she did most of the work. If she hadn't been there I'd be…" His eyes drifted toward Gaz, then tore away hurriedly. "No time to dwell on that. You, Dib, how are you holding up?"

Blinking, Dib stared at Riddick. "You look vaguely familiar, who are you?"

"No time!" Blossom darted out of the ship, grabbing the claw clamped around it and prying it open. She grunted as a laser bolt slammed into her shoulder, but merely craned her head and returned fire with her eyes. "We've got company, and lots of it!"

"A puff!" Dib gaped.

"Yes, a Puff. How bad is it out there, Blossom?" Riddick called.

"They keep coming. Looks like they're forming squads, at least five squads." She dodged another blast. "With scattered fire from the expendables up front."

Zim's eyes shot open and he sucked in a deep gasp, claws latching onto Mikko's arms as she pulled him up. He stared about wildly, taking in his surroundings, his face pale.

"Easy Zim," she put a hand on his head. "It's me, you got us away."

He clutched at Mikko's arms, pleading, "I… I need you to tell me I can stand up… please just say it…"

"You can," Riddick sighed, "But in your state you shouldn't. Dib, do you have a weapon?"

In answer, Dib rolled up his right coatsleeve, the palm of his hand glowing as his arm charged.

"Very good. You, I, and Blossom shall take the fleet. Mikko, Zim is in no condition to fight right now. Stay with him until he collects his thoughts please."

 _"Forgetting someone, lunchmeat?"_ Gaz growled, collecting herself off of Dib.

"Well we're trying to keep casualties low, I didn't know if you could keep from killing soldiers." Riddick muttered. "But if you can get the force field over the exit down, that would be best."

 _"Gonna be one casualty, cause SOMEBODY ate my dinner."_ She wrapped around Dib one more time, threatening, _"If you ever get possessed again, I'll kill you."_ Then she vanished.

Dib grinned a little. "Missed you too Gaz." He nudged Zim with his foot. "Pull it together Zim, we'll need you soon."

Zim turned his face away, expression pinched. Riddick frowned, noting his distress, but laser fire was beginning to fall heavy on the ship, and the computer was beginning to make unpleasant warnings about the shielding. As he and Dib scrambled out and over the side, Dib twisted a dial on his arm and began blasting. The human ducked behind the aft of a nearby ship for cover, calling to Riddick, "So, who are you? And we're set for stun why?"

As Blossom darted overhead, a pink blur raining down heat blasts, Riddick called back, "It's a long story." He hurled red blasts, weaker than usual to keep from killing. "I was ordered to kill Zim and your mother. Things change fast, huh?"

Dib's glare could have frozen lava, but he growled, "I'm listening for a reason not to blast you." He duck and rolled to new cover, behind a bank of computer controls.

"Well, the person who gave me these powers ordered me to. Saw no reason not to, until I found out who your mother was." He rolled away, joining Dib in his cover. "Turns out she's my mother too. Hello half-brother, my name's Riddick."

Dib's next shot hit the wall several feet above any Irken's head. "Wh-WHAT?"

"I didn't think there was anyone who yakked more than you and Zim combined." Gaz flickered behind them, grimacing. "Main control room's soundlocked, might be an override here in the circuits somewhere. I'll keep looking." Riddick nodded in acknowledgement, and she billowed out. She towered high and opened a massive, ravenous mouth in her middle as she swooped toward the squad that had positioned themselves to pounce on the two from behind. They scattered before her, trampling each other to get away.

Riddick continued firing, aiming at the weapons each Irken held. "Yes, and the one that ordered this—HIM-is the one that took over your body and stabbed Zim. He went mad, made a deal with HIM for the same powers. There's plenty more to fill you in on but these soldiers are particularly annoying when I can't kill them." His hat went flying as a blast hit it. "Is the whole planet funneling in here?"

"Just about!" Blossom called from the ceiling. A black blast shot up at her and she veered off sharply. "They have anti-chemical X!" She seethed. "HIM, when I get my hands on you I'm going to AUGH!" She swooped away, flying erratically as the black goo shot in wide spurts at her.

"I might just join Zim in a breakdown when we can afford the time!" Dib sputtered.

Out of the corner of his eye, Riddick could see Mikko and Zim, one at either end of their ship, joining the fray. Zim looked shaky, and he was firing handheld energy-blaster. Raising a shield, Riddick darted over to the fore of the ship where Zim had stationed himself. "What's going on? Why aren't you using your power?" He snapped, fending off the advancing soldiers.

"Conserving." Zim barked, keeping his eyes on the enemy. "Took a lot of energy to get here. You have a plan? Are we getting the force field down?" He asked, changing topics.

"Thinning these guys out first. Too many and they'll down our ship before we could get clear. If we wreck enough of their weapons we should be able to make a break for it." He hurled small red dots at an oncoming squad, their weapons exploding on contact with the dots.

"Got it." Zim nodded, aiming for enemy weapons. He heard an odd humming from behind, and turned to see the glowing end of a plasma canon as it discharged a torpedo-sized bolt at Riddick's back. He didn't even think as the blaster fell from his glowing hands, and a green shield deflected the attack. Zim dropped to his knees, mouth open as he hissed in pain. His arms glowed under the orange turtleneck.

Alarmed, Riddick grabbed Zim's arm, pulling back the sleeve. He could see a series of marks on his forearms, woven between the scars. Marks that weren't there before. They looked like Riddick's, but he knew his markings backward and forward and this one was different. He gripped Zim by the collar, voice tense. "Zim, tell me what's going on. Right now."

Zim's antennae drooped. "I… he…" He choked, "I was wrong. I was wrong about what would stop HIM… and he made it worse…" he lifted his arms, "It's draining my lifespan."

"He… he's made it so your powers drain your lifespan?" Riddick asked in disbelief.

Zim finally looked Riddick in the face, his voice breaking. "Why am I always failing, Riddick?"

The plasma cannon glowed again, as Riddick whispered, "You didn't fail, Zim. I did." Dropping Zim, he whirled around, palm outstretched toward the cannon as it discharged another blast. Red force met the blast, sending it back into the cannon. It exploded, sending soldiers flying on all sides. He turned on the cavalry, eyes burning with rage. His arms locked, sweeping from side to side, sending them flying in waves against the walls. He no longer cared who he injured. He barked at no one in particular, "GET THE SHEILD!"

 _"Found it!"_ Gaz appeared on the left wall. _"Can get there, but need firepower now!"_

Blossom turned, diving into Gaz, who vanished with the Puff. Dib grabbed Mikko's arm, dragging her toward the ship. The shield sputtered, dying down as Blossom and Gaz reappeared inside the ship.

Riddick turned, grabbing Zim by the arm. He didn't look at him as he tossed him into the ship. Walking past, he stood in a corner, staring at the wall.

Gaz settled into the driver's seat, closing up the ship and tearing out of the hangar. A few blasts followed them, but Riddick's attack had its desired effect.

"You know how to fly?" Mikko managed.

 _"Seen enough Irken minds."_ Gaz responded. She turned her head slightly, glancing at Zim and Riddick. Zim hadn't moved from where he'd landed. He sat there, staring blankly, waiting to be shouted at or punished for failing.

Gaz sighed. _"Fantastic. Where's Della when you need her?"_


	26. Gathering Strength

"What kind of brother am I?" Riddick asked, still facing the corner. Zim didn't move, but Blossom turned slightly. Riddick continued, speaking to Zim but addressing the corner. "When we went into your head, I promised I that I would protect you. I promised I would be a brother who wouldn't let anything happen to you again. That I would always be there. I wouldn't let you down again. And what happens as soon as we split up again? You get hurt. And I couldn't do a thing about it. I didn't even know. Is that how I keep my promise? I just let HIM win like that? Then I watch you blame yourself and say YOU failed. You didn't fail, Zim." He turned, head lowered. "I did. How am I supposed to save a world if I can't even save my brother?" He lifted his head, tears running down his face. "I failed as a protector and as a brother Zim. I've broken my promise. I'm so sorry."

In three steps, Blossom had crossed the ship, hand upraised. With one swift move she cracked her hand across his face, sending him flying into the opposite wall. He slid down, a broken expression on his face.

She walked over, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him up. "Don't you dare," she seethed, "Give HIM what he wants. Because this is EXACTLY what he wants, right here, right now. He's over there blaming himself and despair, and you're blaming yourself and despairing, and you're both FEEDING HIM exactly what he wants." Her eyes burned, one tear tracking down her cheek. "Did I fail because I couldn't protect my sisters? Townsville? Somebody told me otherwise. Somebody told me it was out of my control." She shook Riddick slightly. "It was out of your control. Don't you dare go here."

Riddick sucked in a breath, shutting his eyes and wrapping his arms around her. She froze. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I know it's what he wants but… I can't stop how it feels. I used to be able to…"

Gingerly, Blossom embraced him, sighing.

Dib shook his head, and turned to Zim. "Hey, Spaceboy."

Zim didn't respond.

"Look, I'm not sure about everything that's going on right now, but I take it something really bad happened, cause you're not nearly as obnoxious as usual."

Silence.

"So are you giving up?"

"No." Zim finally responded, quietly. "I'm just… a little lost right now."

"Mhmm, something about failing again? It was a little loud with all the blasting back there so I only heard about that much."

Zim looked down.

"You sure have failed a lot." Dib nodded. "You failed to take over Earth, you failed to stay in one piece, sounds like you failed to keep Mom safe while I was out of commission, and even Mikko's in the thick of things like you never wanted."

Zim cringed. Mikko frowned, but held her peace. Dib had known Zim the longest, he had to know what he was saying.

"Know what else you failed at?" Dib prodded.

No response.

"You failed to die."

One antennae twitched.

"Notice how many times you shouldn't be alive right now. You got thrown through time, you went through the most brutal training in the galaxy, you've faced predators of your species, you've been beaten almost to death, and whatever just happened I'm guessing you probably shouldn't be alive after facing it."

Zim raised his head, blinking slowly.

Dib punched his shoulder lightly. "You're a cockroach, you know that? We could probably drop a nuclear bomb on you and you'd come out okay. Or did you forget who you are?" He paused, waiting for an answer. "Come on, who are you?"

Zim stared at him, his eyes focusing a little. "Zim."

"I can't hear you. That was pitiful."

"I… am Zim."

"I'm sure that was loud for an ant." Dib taunted.

Zim bolted to his feet, shouting, "I am Zim!" His expression was hard and angry. "I have survived EVERYTHING this HIM has thrown at me, and he will be the one not surviving when we are through with him! Riddick!" He spun to face Riddick, who looked up from Blossom's shoulder. "Let's make this HIM wish we were never born," Zim said darkly.

Riddick pulled himself away from Blossom, shaking his head. "Well, slight snag in plans. Your power has now been ruled out except for very special occasions. You can't be the one to full on attack HIM, I need to be the one to do that. But he certainly has given me another reason to make HIM wish we weren't born."

Crossing his arms, Zim returned, "I will reserve my power some, but this HIM will be taken down. The cost has already been too great, and I will not hold back if I can help take HIM down."

"Well I won't have HIM be the reason you die." Riddick countered. "So you need to concentrate your other best ability in this fight." Walking over, he tapped Zim on the forehead. "This. I'm sure the time will rise when you need that more than strength when we get to him. You'll be the brain, I will be the brawn. We will bring him down together, one way or another."

Zim reached over and clasped Riddick's wrist. "I'll do my best."

 _"Hey."_ Gaz called from up front. _"Strange glowy portal just opened up, looks like Irk on the other side. Personalized invitation much?"_

The front viewscreen of the ship displayed a large wormhole, on the other side of which lay the planet Irk. A paved world, barren of all life except Irkens, living in their cities of metal and glass.

_"That wasn't there a second ago. I think we're being baited by you-know-who."_

"At this point, I don't think we can say no." Riddick turned to the group. "But I suggest we collect ourselves before flying through. Dib, you need to be caught up. Zim, you do it. And one other thing—OW!" He exclaimed at Blossom, pointing to his face. "I'm not sure you know how strong you really are sometimes!"

"Not enough time." Zim said, walking over to the pilot seat. "Move." Gaz stared, startled as Zim ordered her out of the seat and occupied it. "Gaz if you could catch yourself up on any gaps you have with my memories, and then fill Dib in that would be useful, so I don't have to expend the energy."

_"You're awfully bold all of a sudden."_

"And you're still flickering. The music isn't enough?"

_"Well it helps, but they disrupted me quite a bit back there."_

"I'll build you a complete sound chamber for music when we get back. Should fix whatever they did."

Gaz shook her head, pulling Dib over and putting a flare on his head and Zim's. _"Never cease to surprise me, Zim."_

"He's in total focus mode." Riddick mused. He glanced back at Blossom. "Look, about my little outburst there… thank you. I know it isn't fair to say I failed. I'm glad my words meant something to you. I'm glad… I'm just glad…" He looked away, and blurted out, "I'm glad you're here. Without you, I'd be dead or a wreck, so if you take nothing else away from what happens next, take away that despite what happened to you, you've made plenty of difference to me, Blossom.

She reached over, squeezing his shoulder gently.

As they entered the wormhole, Zim hissed, "Hold on!" The image at the end of the wormhole flickered, changing. They flew out directly into a major city. "Flirk that shellfish!" Zim spat. "The middle of Irk's main city, no way we can avoid casualties."

He screeched to a halt, hovering directly in front of a large building. "The main Control Brain hub," he whispered, slightly awed.

"Um, Zim?" Dib pointed down. On the front steps of the building stood a now familiar figure. Arms crossed. Legs splayed. A sick, contemptuous smile on his face. HIM stood out in broad daylight, waiting.


	27. Feeling Things Out

Riddick gazed at the form standing on the steps of Irk's most important building. He pivoted, raising a thick red wall as Blossom crashed headfirst into it, all but shattering it on impact. "Blossom! Listen, didn't you just tell me not to give HIM what he wants? You're going to do that if you fly out there and just attack, it won't do anything!"

"The three of us laid him out dozens of times, I can do it!" She screamed, pounding a fist straight through the wall.

"You know he was probably toying with you." Zim muttered darkly. "He knew how to really take you out, and he did it when he felt like it."

Blossom faltered, and Riddick took the opportunity to walk over. "You need to trust me like I've learned to trust you. Rushing into battle is what he wants. I'll go out there and stall. You and the others will get yourselves stationed. It will escalate fast, so you take HIM from an angle when I attack from the front. Zim, get Maneem and Danem out of there. You know where they are, I assume."

"I have a good guess." Zim nodded.

"Hacking skills with Zim, or shooting arm with you?" Dib asked, leaning against the wall. He rubbed his forehead, still processing the information dump Gaz had provided.

Zim spoke up. "I need him with me. If I can't use my power, I need another blaster with me, and hacking skills since my PAK is gone." He watched Mikko march herself over to stand by Riddick, groaning in exasperation, "And PLEASE keep an eye on her, she has picked up the bad habit of STUBBORNNESS."

 _"I'll give you air coverage."_ Gaz tapped the weapons panel of the ship. _"It doesn't have much but it's something."_

Nodding, Riddick turned, touching a claw to Blossom's forehead and leaving a small red dot. "This will signal when I want you to attack. When it flashes, attack with what you think is best. Ice, lasers, brute force. At the least, you'll distract him so I can move in again. But let me gage his power first, understood?"

She nodded stiffly. "Understood. You, and you." She pointed to Mikko and Gaz. "Follow my lead. Split up wherever you will, but follow my lead in the fight."

Riddick looked around at each person. "Ok. We know our jobs. I know we haven't seen eye to eye, and some of you might still hold grudges…" He glanced at Mikko, who shrugged indifferently. "But we've all come a long way and gone through a lot to get here. Failure has been put in our path at every step, but we've come through it. I know we can be the ones to liberate Irk. We can be the ones who are responsible for the smeets of Irk who never have to endure this kind of pain. They will ask their fathers about it, they will know this is where it all started, this is where the healing began. Not because of one person, but because of all of us. I believe in all of you. And when this ends... I will give each and every one of you a hug. Even the ones who may still be holding grudges. Because I know this is a day to remember. This is the day it ends. The takeback of Irk begins now."

 _"Seriously, I thought nobody could top Dib or Zim in the yakking department."_ Gaz groaned.

"Hey!" Dib protested.

"Get ready to drop." Zim motioned to Riddick, opening a side hatch.

As Blossom zoomed out and into the heart of the city as a pink streak, Riddick stepped out onto a red platform, lowering himself to the steps near HIM.

Zim pulled the ship back and zoomed up toward the top dome of the building. "Gaz, take the controls. Dib and I get off at the top." He leaped out of the seat, grabbing a small array of weapons and clipping them on.

"You can put me on ground level after." Mikko added, belting on a few extra tools. "Dib, keep him from doing anything stupid. Zim, keep him from doing anything stupid."

"Hey!" They both shouted.

 _"Get off the ship already."_ Gaz opened the hatch, shoving them both out.

They landed on the dome with a thud and began to slide down the side. Cursing, Zim clamped onto the side with green spiderlegs.

"What are you doing?" Dib shouted. He gripped the dome with his prosthetic arm, metal fingertips dug into the surface. "You idiot, you're not supposed to use that!" Reaching over, he grabbed Zim's arm. "Stop, I've got you!"

Mortified, Zim dispelled his power, hanging from Dib's grasp. He yanked a grappling gun from his belt, firing toward the top of the dome. As it latched on, Dib slid down to hold onto Zim, and the two lowered to the thin lip at the edge of the dome.

"I was just… I meant to use my PAK," Zim mumbled. "I was thinking about my PAK."

Dib sighed. "I get it. It's not there anymore, and thinking about it triggers this… whatever you got while I was gone. Just pretend this is like that day we never discuss where I stole your PAK, okay? All you've got are these," he pointed at Zim's belt full of weapons, "And me. Now, is there a sneaky way of getting in?"

Zim shook his head. "This is the Control Brain hub. Sneaky was never an option."

"Good to know." Dib grinned. Turning toward the dome, he pulled back his arm, the fist glowing. "Hold onto that line, we'll need to drop in fast."

…..

"I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long." Riddick stepped off his red platform, walking toward HIM. "Traffic, you know?"

"Oh not at all, please," HIM sat on the steps of the building, lounging back carelessly. "Won't you step into my office and take a seat?" He chuckled at his own little joke.

Sitting, Riddick remarked, "Of course you'd know I want a chat before we start beating the holy hell out of each other."

"Well you do love to go on. I wonder where you got that trait." HIM lifted a teacup out of nowhere, sipping from it. "Could it be that Irken you grew up with… oh what was his name. Marto? Masthead?"

"You know very well what his name was. I won't give you the satisfaction. So, the great HIM. This is it?" He motioned disdainfully. "I'll give you one thing, the black smoke and mystery is nice, no one would have guessed this is what you look like."

"Oh Blossom dearie always got to see me, but their days were numbered. Much more fun this way, turning whole species on their heads as a mystery figure."

"Well, I could ask why you chose to look like that, but," he put his hands together, forming a contemplative circle with his claws. "I think it's more appropriate to ask how something like you ever came to exist in the first place? If I'm going to die soon, I might as well know more about the thing that did the deed, right?"

"Ah, Riddick. Ever the need to know. Don't you know that's what got you in trouble to begin with?" His tone dropped viciously. "You just had to know. Had to spoil our good time." His voice rose again, pleasantly. "And you were producing such wonderful results with those Irkens. Such a shame you can't follow simple instructions."

"Ah yes, being your puppet, that was fun. You played me like an instrument. Must have been great for you, but the problem is, I may have been vengeful and spiteful when you had me, but you didn't possess me. And now here I am. But Irk wasn't your first, was it? It's another in a long line for you, I'm guessing."

HIM's eyes glinted, his smile growing wider. "Oh yes, I have quite the resume, do you want to know?" He purred, "All from galaxies whole universes away, some from the distant past, some from recent times. But they were all so, so very easy to manipulate." He ran his tongue along a claw slowly. "Saiyans. Brunnen-G. Gallifreyans. Kryptonians. Even the Jedi. With just the right prodding, I could goad them into wars that destroyed them, or turn them on each other, or just take one and watch him bring down the lot of them. It was so easy." He raised his eyes placidly to Riddick's. "I have been playing this game since before the Irken race was spawned, and you truly think you can stop me now, insect?"

Tilting his head to the side, Riddick mocked, "Don't you know even the tiniest insects can carry the most deadly diseases?"

HIM snorted. "And what disease do you think could wipe me out? Even now you are helping me, this very second. You cannot help it, I have molded you that way. All of you." He leaned forward, eyes smoldering. "You see, I always leave a survivor when I am through. One, perhaps, two if I must. There is no agony quite as exquisite as the single survivor left alive." He leaned back again, causally. "I do believe I may leave Zim alive when this is all over, for as long as his new curse allows, just so I can savor his suffering. His has been quite..." He sipped his tea, "Exceptional."

Riddick's eyes narrowed. "Overconfidence isn't a good color on you, HIM. Maybe you finally picked the wrong race."

"I never pick the wrong race," HIM reprimanded mildly. "I believe my record speaks for itself."

"Every undefeated streak comes to an end sometime. Records are meant to be broken, so if you lose, I expect you to lose gracefully."

HIM laughed, shaking his head. "And to think I'd hoped you would prove a valuable asset, and all you're capable of is terrible trash talk. You're just as brainless as the rest of them, with no concept of what you are up against. I hold all the cards, and you hold none. But I am curious." Reaching out, he lifted Riddick's chin. "If I were to promise you your life, and the lives of all your scrawny little group, and the ability to go beyond where I can reach, would you take it?" His teeth gleamed. "Would you do it for your brother? Or do you insist on placing him and everything he cares about in harm's way, like a good older brother would?"

…

"We're not killing them _why?_ " Dib shouted, blasting stun bolts as he ran.

"Cause they're mindlessly following orders and we're here trying to _stop_ this! Besides, you're knocking them out just fine!" He knocked a cube against the wall and tossed it behind them. It blew open, spewing gas along the walk and down over the edge.

They'd dropped down onto a catwalk, one of many that crossed the circular building on each level. Security had been waiting at either end. Zim had blasted a hole through, allowing them to drop to the next level and buying them enough time to reach one end before the guards caught up.

"Here!" Zim grabbed Dib's coat, yanking him toward a small cavern-like opening. "A Brain-socket. Plug in and see if you can find where your mother is."

Dib ripped open a panel in the side, lifting a flap in his own arm, and began wiring the two together. Zim turned, sending off a few rapid-fire rounds in the direction they'd been running. The movement behind them had stopped with the gas, but forces were coming in the opposite direction. "Flirking circle, perfect. No cover. Great security design." Zim muttered. "Hurry up!"

"Working on it!" Dib snapped, bringing up a readout. He frowned. "Zim, I don't see a readout for her here."

"Maybe it's because she's human and the system doesn't know how to classify her. The shell was broken down too, try searching for Tallest Red."

Dib's mouth turned down, but he complied. A blast hit the panel, shorting it out, and he yanked back. "Cover fire is nice, Zim!" He shouted.

"Doing my best!"

"Well we're not going to find any info this way, looks like we're searching one by one."

"Oh, fabulous!" Zim snarled, "I was looking forward to dying today!"

…..

"One, I would never trust you. Ever promise you put out comes with a price. We'd never escape you if we tried, you wouldn't let us. Two, I will not leave these planets to die. None of us will." Riddick stiffly removed HIM's claw from his chin. "We've been put through hell, mostly by you, so pat yourself on the back there. But we're through running. You may hold all the cards, but guess what? We're all in."

"Pity." HIM hummed.

"Oh I know. You want us to run away and feel regret for watching our planets die, you want us to despair as long as we're alive. I know your game, HIM. You feast off the suffering of others. There's no other explanation, it's why you keep at least one alive."

"Speaking of that, how is Blossom dear? I can feel her eyes on me a mile away, ready to fire on command."

"She's fine, thanks for asking. But your fight is with me. You may have put a loophole on Zim's powers, but not mine. Let's see if I can make you regret it, hmm?" He stood up, hands glowing. "Or do you plan on fighting me with your fine china there?"

HIM looked up with a wounded expression. "Why, it was your mother's favorite cup!"

Riddick facepalmed. "About to be in the battle of my life and you pulled a 'your Mom' joke. Don't you know even species on the other side of the galaxy recoil at those? Oh…. I get it."

HIM inhaled deeply, grinning. "Aaaah… that frustration was wonderful. And here is where you are ruined before you begin, Riddick." He stood slowly. "There are things you cannot rid yourself of. Things that hang around you that you cannot cut loose. And all those things make me strong. You have lost before you begin. But please," he spread his arms. "I invite you to try."

….

"Zim, what's going on?" Dib shouted. "Is it repair-Control-Brains day?"

"There is no such day!" Zim shouted back. "They almost never leave their places, and if they do, it's never more than one or two. We've passed two whole floors of empty sockets! Plug in at the next one, see if they're all empty!"

Dib ducked into another entrance as Zim turned, hurling gas cubes in both directions. His heart hammered in his chest. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. Where had all the Brains gone? A bolt hit his shoulder and he reeled back, hissing. "THIS YEAR WOULD BE NICE, DIB!"

"They're all gone!" Dib yanked Zim in farther. "All of them, whole place is empty Zim! Where'd he take my Mom?"

Zim's face went pale.

_It's a trap. I don't know why or how, but this is wrong. RIDDICK!_

…

Riddick faltered, blinking. "What?" He winced, a panicked thought stabbing into his mind.

_THERE ARE NO CONTROL BRAINS IN THE CENTRAL HUB, ONLY EMPTY SOCKETS!_

"Stop wasting power idiot!" Riddick breathed, straightening to stare at HIM. "Alright. Where did you put them?"

"Them? Oh." HIM sighed petulantly. "I'm afraid you'll have to beat that information out of me."

"Oh what a lovely invitation." Riddick's fists glowed again. "So, shall we?"

"Oh yes." HIM cracked his neck. "Let's."


	28. Set the Captive Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started out writing this chapter from my head saying, "This is where the plot goes"… then I scrapped it and wrote from the heart, "This is what Gloria feels." I have waited to do this chapter since the beginning of Danem, guys.

_Please work. Please work._ Gloria repeated the words over and over in her mind as she pulled Red toward another door. The one he had tried to enter was probably conformed to his own dark and vile thoughts. She would not enter that door, she had to find another.

Finding one, she laid a hand on the knob, ignoring the string of curses from behind her. He still could not pull away, for she knew who she was and he was still lost in this place. Her hand tightened on the knob, as she pulled to mind the image she wanted.

_Small bathroom. Waist high sink, three feet long with mirror-lined wall. Raised porcelain tub. Warm water. Filled with bubbles._

Twisting the knob, she opened the door to find exactly what she had pictured. The bathroom from her own house. The one where she had been washed by Gaz, where she had first been reminded of herself. _So, this place can be changed._

Finally, she turned back to the struggling Tallest. "Red." She said quietly. "Stop. Please." She reached a hand out, and caught his other hand as it came down to strike her. "There's something I want to do for you."

His face twisted into a devilish smirk, and he laughed, "Not that you have much of a choice, but what is it, Shvna?"

She blinked back the sting of the word, and answered solemnly, "I wish to wash you."

His face drained of color, and he sucked in a breath. For just a moment, his eyes flickered with confusion. Then they hardened again, and he grinned, though less securely than before. "It is indeed a slave's place to wash a Tallest, though that is not _your_ purpose. Very well, I will indulge you this once."

She released his hands, and he strode past her, head high, shedding the royal skirt and stepping languidly into the tub. She breathed a sigh of relief that the water did not burn him. She did not know the details of the liquid they bathed in, but her intentions must have made the bath safe.

She turned to the counter, shedding her rings and rolling up her sleeves. Scooping up a bar of soap and a scrubber, she turned toward him in the tub. It was a large tub, and she had to stand, but it didn't matter. She dipped the scrubber and soap into the tub, and began to wash his back.

 _You came to my planet and took out our trash, and planted me a garden for weeks._ She recalled the time she found him sleeping in the shade of the tree, probably exhausted from the work and whatever else he'd been doing with Zim, and the corner of her mouth curled up.

His shoulders tensed, his right antenna flicking as if she had spoken her thoughts out loud.

_You took me out rock climbing when I needed to remember I could still beat a cliff-face, and you caught me when I fell. You never touched me unless you had to._

She lathered along his shoulders and neck and down the front of his chest, which now moved with short, spastic breaths.

_You tried to save my planet by marrying me. And when you did, you still never touched me unless you had to._

His body was trembling as she continued washing, and a curious thing began to happen. As she scrubbed, the green skin began to peel away, revealing a dirt-stained set of overalls. She lifted his arm, gently rubbing along it, and a pair of yellow garden gloves began to show through.

_You tried to keep me safe from a distance. And when that didn't work, you tried to take me home. You took a near-fatal fall for me, so I would survive._

A small whimper escaped him.

 _You carried me home. Healed my arm. Then showed me I was not a slave._ His antennae and bald green head gave way to an unruly mop of hair. _You chose my freedom over the assurance of a long and safe rule._

"Gloria." Her hands froze on his head. Not Shvna. Not Lady Gloria. Gloria. "Why are you doing this?" His voice was strung tight, like a wire about to snap. Something was about to give.

She reached to his face and lifted it toward hers. The eyes were muddled, the shape of them changing, but the change not set. She gently scrubbed at his face as she answered, "Because, Red, sometimes it takes a very long time to change. But I have. And so have you. Because you stayed Scar, even when I found out you were Red." Dropping the soap, she took his face in her hands, staring into his eyes. "Because, Scar. Red. I forgive you." She leaned forward, planting a warm kiss on his forehead. "Sempadinum." She said softly, quite differently than the first time.

And the wire snapped.

As she drew back, yellow-gloved hands reached up and seized hers. Red drew himself up, climbing out of the tub to stand, in sopping overalls and wet, matted curls. He swept Gloria up into his arms, and kissed her forehead. She felt wetness dripping off his face that was not just tub water.

"I'm sorry." His voice shook. "I forgot myself. He reminded me why… why you would never be able to forgive me… and I… I couldn't hold on…"

She laid a finger across his lips. "No more. I do forgive you, Red. And he can't take that away, no matter what."

Red buried his face into her neck, almost crushing her with his grip. "Thank you," He breathed shakily, "Thank you."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

He pulled back, confused.

"If one says Sempadinum, isn't the other also supposed to?"

Red's eyes widened a little. His mouth hung open slightly. Gingerly, he put a hand to her face, and murmured, "Sempadinum."

A small smile curled Gloria's lips. "Welcome back."

All at once there was a loud banging on the door. Alarmed, Red set Gloria down and pulled her behind him. The door flew open, revealing several dozen Tallests crowded in the hall.

"What have you done?" One demanded, drawing a blade. "He has taken all of us into himself! This whole place, he has absorbed us all! Is this your doing?"

"We'll disappear now for sure." Another wailed. "At least we lived, now we will die!"

"This whole room is glowing!" A third accused. "It must be your faults, take them and kill them! Maybe then he will stop."

Red snarled, crouching to spring, when Gloria laid a hand on his arm. "No," she said calmly. "We are rulers here. They cannot touch us, we know who we are." Turning to the crowd in the doorway, her expression softened. "But they have forgotten. Help me, Red. I think I know what to do."

...

_Candle hurry. I cannot hold much longer. Please. You've set the captive free, now give us light..._


	29. Shots Fired

HIM crouched, springing up into the air and coming to float near the top of the Control Brain hub. "Your move!"

Riddick hovered up on a red platform. "Oh but I insist you go first. After all, if the Control Brains aren't where they should be, you've done something to them. Am I right?"

"If you say I have, I must have." HIM blinked innocently. "But if you're so eager, find them yourself."

"Fine." Riddick opened a palm, sending a torrent of red energy at HIM, who merely opened a claw, deflecting it. Riddick blinked as HIM tilted the claw down, revealing a small orb sticking out of the top of it. "That wasn't there before."

"What, this old thing?" HIM grinned. "Why Riddick, I didn't think you'd notice."

"What is that?" Riddick demanded. "Another one of your tricks, like the ceiling that knocked out my power?"

"I believe they were walls, and don't worry, nothing will affect your precious power." HIM waved a claw dismissively. "You are no threat to me, so I would enjoy whatever pretense of a fight you can put up before your demise."

"So what is it then? Maybe you'll talk if I do this!" Riddick darted over, his hands glowing red. He hurled uppercuts and blows, but each time his fists glanced off as if deflected. He hadn't even managed to touch HIM. He backed up, eyes widening as hundreds of orbs appeared all over HIM's body, sticking halfway out and interconnected with flowing red wires. They ran across his claws and arms, and down from his head to his chest, stomach, back, and legs.

"What?!" Riddick shouted in confusion.

"Oh, do you like it? I designed it myself. Keeps damages at a minimum, but please." HIM beamed, "Knock yourself out."

"I see." Riddick's eyes narrowed as he darted to the side. Flicking his claws over and over, he shot pinpoints of red energy all over HIM as he darted around, but HIM didn't even seem phased. "You fused yourself with the Control Brains somehow." _And if that's the case, Maneem is in there somewhere._

"RIDDICK!" Riddick's head snapped up to see Zim standing at the top of the Hub. Dib was busy barricading their escape route behind him, but Zim pointed at HIM in horror. "HE'S FUSED HIMSELF WITH THE CONTROL BRAINS SOMEHOW!"

"YES, ZIM, THANK YOU, FIGURED THAT ONE OUT!" Riddick shouted back, exasperated.

"FLIRK," Zim pulled at his face, "HE HAS ALL THEIR COLLECTIVE ENERGY AND MISERY TO WORK WITH!"

"WORKING ON IT, ZIM!"

HIM didn't turn toward Zim once. Glaring, Riddick flew upward, then straight down to punch HIM square in the head. HIM's head bent slightly as Riddick rebounded hard, flinging his arms out and blasting a shot of energy straight into HIM's face. HIM's head whipped back, but then straightened. Not a single sign of damage.

"Figures you'd have this gimmick to negate my powers." Riddick growled.

Scoffing, HIM replied, "I think you give yourself too much credit, or did you forget who gave you those powers?"

"Come off it, this Control Brain shield you have is blocking the brunt of my attack. Because of that…" He reared back, flinging out dozens of red balls to surround HIM. He snapped a finger, and they all exploded. When the haze cleared, HIM still hovered in place, that smug grin set firmly on his face. "You've stacked the deck but I can't say I'm surprised."

"Are you quite done yet?" HIM asked.

"Stupid question. Let's see how you deal with this then!" He threw a red ball up in the air and pulled his hat over his own face. The ball let out a brilliant blast of light. HIM squints, raising a claw to shade his eyes as Riddick stuck a hand out, triggering the signal to Blossom.

From the heart of the next city, a pink streak shot across the ground, covering miles in a matter of seconds. Directly under HIM it shot up, body slamming into him. It bounced off like a rubber ball, hitting the ground with the force of a meteor, opening a huge crater. HIM waved at the light, extinguishing it, but hadn't even flinched at Blossom's attack.

"So the orbs direct a controlled defense, and it can be heightened depending on the attack used against you." Riddick mused. "So Blossom bounced off like rubber. But it's not automatic, the orbs have life in them. Life you're feeding off of. Every time you have to defend against strong attacks, well… how long will this little makeshift creation work before it gives out, hmm?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask your parents? It's their lives you're risking. But I'm tired of watching you play." He snapped his claws. "I think it's time to re-acquaint you with some old friends."

Riddick braced himself. "I don't care what you throw at me, I'm ready."

"I volunteer."

Riddick froze. The moan had drifted up from the ground and it sounded like death itself. He glanced down to see an Irken standing on the steps they had vacated. Or, what was left of the Irken. He looked to be ripped to shreds, missing an arm, and bleeding profusely.

Another mangled body joined him, staring up dully. "Me. Pick me."

Even though they were mangled, Riddick recognized them instantly. He sucked in a breath. "So, this is your plan, eh? Reunite me with the Irkens I've eaten?"

HIM chuckled, sinking down toward them. "Well, let's just say I kept a few of your playthings around for a rainy day." As he touched down, more and more gathered around HIM, staring up at Riddick, dull-eyed—if they still had eyes.

"Planning to mentally detach me and feed off my misery? Seems to be your standard game plan." He stared at the half-eaten Irkens. "I'd say it's cruel, but at this point for you it's just normal."

HIM shook his head. "You're already off your head, Riddick. Cracked. You just don't realize it." With the snap of a claw, each Irken was equipped with a sword or blaster. "I believe the phrase is, fly, my pretties."

The Irkens broke formation, running up into the air at Riddick as if the air held invisible stairs, blasting and swinging swords, all moaning variations of "I volunteer!"

"Damn it!" Riddick dodged backwards, moving and weaving to get to HIM. But every time he got close, they pulled together like a wall. He veered away each time, unable to bring himself to kill them. "Damn it! I will get to you, you can't hide behind them forever!"

A black shadow darted among the Irkens, flinging several aside, but they merely regrouped and continued blocking Riddick's path and attacking him.

….

Zim stared at the miniature army in horror, frozen. _All these Irkens… Riddick has…_

"Zim!" Dib shouted, "We have to move, can't hold them much longer!" He shoved one more crate on top of the vent they'd exited through even as laser fire carved up the bottom of the crate. "ZIM, STOP STARING, WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

…

"Is this all you've got, HIM?" Riddick shouted, "Hiding behind mangled soldiers?"

A white blast ripped across HIM's back as Mikko fired a shoulder-mounted cannon from her cover behind a building. The crater beneath HIM disgorged the pink streak once more, but both attacks bounced off HIM, who never even turned to look.

"Perhaps." HIM hummed. "At least until you acknowledge reality."

"Oh you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Riddick raged. "My only focus right now is pounding you into the floor! All you're doing is delaying that!"

Another cannon shot grazed HIM's head to no effect.

"Riddick, Riddick," HIM crooned, "When are you going to face what you really did?"

"Shut up!" Riddick tried to get through the ranks again, "I will get to you, I swear it!"

"You still think I'm talking about what you did to these pawns." HIM chuckled, as a path opened straight through the Irkens.

Riddick spun through, flying along the path. As he drew closer, HIM held up one corpse that froze Riddick in his tracks. It was barely recognizable, more chewed-up bone than anything else. But what remained of its face looked more like Riddick's than any other face in the crowd, and it was open-mouthed. Screaming. Dead. "I'm talking about what you did to your brother."

"That's… not… real…" Riddick rasped.

"What's not real? I told you, Riddick. You've been cracked all along." HIM took a step forward. "It wasn't long after that second fight you had with Zim. Very clever of him to figure out black holes would help him. But even that couldn't save him. You were so, so very determined that he should suffer."

"No, no you're lying!" Riddick's hands began shaking. "Zim's been here the whole time, we've all seen him!"

"We who?" HIM purred. "Riddick, you're the only one here."

Once again cannon fire ripped across HIM's body, followed by an ice blast from the ground, but he did not react.

"They're firing at you!" Riddick screamed. "They're attacking you, but your Control Brain system is stopping them!"

HIM made a great show of looking around. He turned back, condescendingly. "Well, your family has a history of instability. It's not out of the realm of possibility that I can't see what you do. But I assure you," he rattled the corpse. "This is very real. Don't you remember what you did?"


	30. Candlekey to Flame

Gloria stepped out into the hall, followed closely by Red. The other Tallests parted before her, even as they continued their angry rumbling. It was almost as if they couldn't stand too close, and she could see now that a soft glow enfolded her and Red, spilling out before them as they exited.

"Gloria, what are you thinking?" Red hedged tensely, sizing up the crowd around them.

"The Candle. Selm always said I was a Candle, that the Candle and the Flame had to come together." She answered. "We did, but what for? A lit Candle brings light. They're all still trapped." She turned to him soberly. "They're all being used by that thing, aren't they? That thing that has my son…" Her jaw tightened. "No more."

"Ca…..n…..dle…."

Gloria turned to the moan. A hand reached out from between the feet of the crowd, reaching toward her. She moved toward it as the Tallests nearly scattered at her approach.

An Irken lay on the ground, huge and quivering, with a white tag on his antennae. Selm could barely lift his head from his position on the ground. Gloria could see through him to the floor, his form flickering and transparent.

"Selm?" Red's eyes bulged. "You are in the shell of the first Control Brain…" He knelt by Selm, putting a hand to the first Tallest's head. It passed through. "He's shielding you from the consequences of whatever we've just done, but he's fading. Whatever this thing is that has us, it's draining him away."

"Can…dle… Flame…" Selm forced his head up, staring at them boths. "Please… my choices… led to your… darkness… many centuries of darkness… until yours… but you are the only… only ones here…. Only one… I can ask… please…"

Eyes stinging, Gloria placed her hands around Selm's face. "Selm, I forgive you."

Red glanced sidelong at Gloria, then returned his gaze to Selm. Quietly, he dipped his head, murmuring, "Be at peace."

Selm's eyes widened. He drew in a deep breath, as if taking in air for the first time in hundreds of years.

And then, he closed his eyes and vanished.

As he disappeared, the glow around Gloria and Red grew brighter, pushing the Tallests farther back.

"They killed him!" One wailed. "They're going to kill all of us! Make it stop! Make them stop!"

"Cut their heads off 'til they don't grow back!" Growled the blue-eyed Tallest, drawing a dagger.

"Wait," cringed the table-headed Tallest. "W-wait… didn't… didn't any of you see his face?" He was staring at the spot where Selm had last been. "He… he was at peace…" His head snapped up, staring at Red and Gloria. "W-what did you do?"

"Just let him go." Gloria replied quietly. "He was carrying the guilt far too long."

"Let me go!" The table-headed Tallest pleaded, crawling forward. "Please. I've never seen your kind, but we've just begun to conquer the outer worlds in our solar system, we must have come to your world. Please! No one else is here, forgive me too!"

"Don't be a fool!" The blue-eyed one snapped. "It's a trick!"

Gloria took the table-headed Tallest's hand, drawing him to his feet. "What's your name?"

"I…. I…" His eyes watered.

"Tallest Spreader." Red filled in. "He oversaw the push from the edge of our solar system into other systems, the fifth Tallest."

"Spreader," The Tallest rolled the word in his mouth, eyes lighting with joy. "I'm… Tallest Spreader!"

Gloria glanced at Red, who dipped his head to her unspoken question. "You speak for us both." He said.

She turned to Spreader, gently squeezing his hands. "We forgive you, Tallest Spreader."

A deep shudder rolled through his body, and he heaved a deep sigh, the table sliding off his head. The corners of his mouth lifted, and then he disappeared.

"No!" The blue-eyed Tallest roared. She lunged at Gloria, but couldn't breach the glow, which had grown even brighter. "You will not fool us, you will not destroy us!" She strained against the light, but was thrown back against the wall. Picking herself up, she snarled, "Stay and vanish into a sappy haze if you want, but I'm finding another way out!" With that, she turned, stalking down the hall.

She barely made it halfway down before she veered sharply, slamming into the wall as if she'd been magnetized to it. She yanked back with a cry, but she stuck fast. As she struggled harder, she began sinking into the wall.

Gloria darted after her, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder. The Tallest yanked away. "Get your hands off me!" She screamed, eyes rolling in fear. "I will not be tricked, this is all your doing!"

"This isn't a trick, you have to let me help you!" Gloria reached out again, but the Tallest gnashed her teeth at Gloria's hand.

"Stay back! As soon as I'm free, I swear I'll gut you from your miserable throat straight down—"

She sank into the wall completely, and it closed around her.

Gloria looked up to Red in fear. "Red, what just happened?"

Red stared at the wall. "I'm not sure. But I can feel the shell I'm in has been taken somewhere. The others were saying all of us have been taken by him, whoever that is. Whoever has us trapped here has been tormenting us with our worst miseries, some of us for centuries. Almost like he's," and he shivered, "feeding off our suffering. She chose to remain in his game…"

Open-mouthed, Gloria stared up at Red. "That's it, that's what we're doing. This is the light. Red," She stood, grabbing his hands, "As long as we were just co-existing I still held fear and resentment and bitterness. I didn't bother trying to make it stop, and you didn't feel you could ask me. But you were asking me for forgiveness, just not in words. In your actions. That's what cut off the bitterness and resentment. I forgave you." She laughed. "It's so childishly simple. How would we ever know—"

Suddenly the hall, Red, and all the Tallests vanished into darkness. She could feel her body again, bound to a chair. She could feel the wires that had invaded her spinal cord. And she could hear an angry voice roar, "THE CANDLE, HUH? THE CANDLE STARTED THIS, I WILL FINISH HER!"

_No! Red, help! We can free them! I'm not ready to go!_


	31. The Key to Victory

"Allow me to remind you of what happened." HIM's voice was almost sonorous as he spoke. "Of course Zim never stood a chance at that battle with you, even with his bright ideas. Do you know, I've had quite good sport with him through various means over the years, and he screams quite well, but he never begs or pleads." His eyes glinted cruelly. "Did you know, he _begged_ you for mercy?"

"No!" Riddick denied, panicked. "No, he escaped, you gave him powers! We regrouped and now we're all here fighting you! Zim, Dib, Gaz, Blossom, Mikko… we're all here and we're all real!"

HIM rolled his eyes with a smile. "Ahhh I see you held onto the extra delusion I slipped you. Blossom? You pulled the others from Zim's final thoughts but she was my touch. I knew you needed somebody to rescue, somebody to feel special about. I couldn't have you collapse on me right away, what fun would that have been? She's long gone though, her death was instantaneous, right along with her sisters. I just slipped your mind a grandiose rescue scenario to bolster you for a bit longer." He grinned, licking his teeth. "But I digress. What were we talking about? Oh yes, Zim. His mind didn't last very long. He lost whatever marbles he had left within two minutes. He still felt everything you were doing, but you can at least take comfort in the fact that he no longer understood what was happening. But that was probably for the best, since you weren't even doing it for sustenance or refueling. No, your brother was one of your sporting kills."

….

Zim stood at the top of the tower, watching HIM begin to circle his brother with an all-too familiar looking corpse, horror setting in. _What do I do? He can't be stopped!_

Behind him, Dib grunted in pain as shrapnel from the crate dug into his good arm, and the door flew open. Turning, Zim dove for Dib, grabbing his arm and willing himself near Blossom. In a flash of green, both were sprawled in the crater near HIM where Blossom huddled, dazed by her last attack. Zim gritted his teeth against the pain, grabbing her shoulder. "Get up, you have to do something!"

"No, you have to do something!" Dib jerked him back. "He's wrecking Riddick over there and you're supposed to figure out how to stop HIM!"

"I don't know what to do!" Zim railed.

"What worked before?"

I don't know! It wasn't happy thoughts or memories, I just hugged you, but I don't think hugging is what it is!"

"WHAT DID YOU DO RIGHT?" Dib shouted.

"I JUST SAID I'M SORRY AND THEN YOU FORGAVE ME AND…" Zim's face went slack. "It wasn't… it wasn't what I did… it was what you did…"

….

"No… NO…" Riddick stared down at his hands, shaking his head. "You're lying! That's nothing but a trick, everything you're saying is a lie! IT'S A LIE!"

"Really?" HIM purred. "Think about it. Tell me Riddick what makes more sense? That you slaughtered and ate your little brother, found out who he was posthumously, and lost your mind? Or this improbable scenario you've concocted where you're all one happy family overthrowing an evil manipulator? You think Gaz—GAZ—would help you after what you did?" He laughed. "Riddick, surely you have a speck more logic than that. And me giving Zim power? I think you know, after even a glimpse of his mind, that he would rather die than be like you. The truth is, Riddick, you WISH he had lived, you WISH he had just turned into a monster like you so you could take care of him like a good big brother, and not be so alone. Isn't that right?"

"No…" Riddick sank to his knees. "No, it isn't… he's not gone! He's my brother… he's not dead and I didn't… I COULDN'T!"

…..

"Blossom!" Zim barked. "I need you to do something and I need you to do it NOW. Go to the deepest darkest most despairing place where you can never forgive yourself, right now."

Blossom looked up, stricken. "But—"

"PLEASE!" Zim shouted. "Dib, get angry!"

"What?" Dib blinked.

Zim yanked back a fist and slammed it into Dib's eye. "GET ANGRY AT ME NOW! HATE ME, FLIRK YOU, I NEED COVER!"

…

HIM hurled the corpse at Riddick, crowing, "Exhibit A, your honor. How does the defendant plead?"

The mangled Irkens closed the circle around them, staring listlessly. "I think the Jury already knows the answer. Once a monster, always a monster, isn't that right?"

"No," Riddick held his head, staring down at the body. "I… I…"

Suddenly HIM paused. He inhaled deeply, eyes rolling back as if he smelled some unexpected, fantastic scent.

Zim darted past him, skidding to a halt by Riddick. Shoving the corpse aside, he grabbed Riddick's face and wrenched it upward. "LOOK AT ME!"

Riddick stared up, then looked down at the corpse, and back to Zim. "Zim?" His eyes were lost. "Did I really do it? Did I… really just… make it all up?"

"That's MY job, idiot," Zim snapped. "And it's HIS job to lie to you." He grabbed the corpse and lifted it up, shoving it in Riddick's face. "Do you see this thing? Do you? Guess what, it was ALMOST me. Do you understand that it was ALMOST me?" He stared at Riddick with a very hard eye.

"But it wasn't… I… I didn't do it… right?" He asked, unsure of anything.

Zim took a deep breath, set the body down, and knelt down on Riddick's level. "No. No you didn't do it. You almost did, but circumstances changed. And do you know what, Riddick? I forgive you for trying."

As the words left his mouth, he whirled around, raising a green shield to block HIM's stabbing claw. "HAH. HAH. I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT!"

HIM's face wore no trace of a smile now. He began to grow, his body swelling and stretching higher and higher as Zim screamed, "LOOK, RIDDICK, HE'S ACKNOWLEDGING ME, I'M REAL, AND I'M A THREAT, DO YOU KNOW WHY?"

A claw the size of a cruiser came smashing down against the shield. Zim laughed hysterically, even as the pain radiated through his connection with Riddick, even as decades and centuries of his life poured into the defense. "BECAUSE I JUST WON! IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE, HE'S LOST AND HE KNOWS IT! BECAUSE NOW YOU KNOW!"

Now the size of the Control Brain hub, HIM raised a claw one more time.

"HE FEEDS OFF MISERY AND HATRED, THE FASTEST WAY TO CUT THAT SUPPLY AND REVERSE IT IS TO FORGIVE! RIDDICK YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYONE—"

HIM slammed his claw down again, shattering the shield and sending Zim flying. Zim hit the ground, completely limp, a grin etched on his unconscious face.

"Zim!" Riddick reached out a hand, but retracted it quickly. "Forgiveness? That's the key? So simple… yet we never saw it."

A click sounded, and the warm muzzle of a weapon pressed against Riddick's head. He glanced to the side to see one of the Irken bodies staring at him dully down the barrel of a blaster. The Irken had one calm blue eye. The other was missing. His other arm and the rest of his body were shredded.

HIM raised a claw once more, ready to bring it down on Riddick, when the orb in the center of his chest began to glow. He staggered back, as the one in the center of his head also began to glow.

 _I have a window, one chance,_ Riddick told himself. _Use what HIM's given you against him. Make it your power. Make it your strength!_


	32. Rest in Peace

Riddick calmly stared back at the Irken who held a gun to his head. "I remember you." He turned around, looking at each Irken. "I remember every single one of you. When I killed you. How I killed you. And every single name."

None of them moved, but it seemed as if they held a collective breath as he turned around the circle. "Zyran. Kilat. Miltra. Gakal. Zitalia. Gliklok." He named each as he saw them. No matter how unrecognizable they seemed, he named them. Their names had been burned in his mind on contact, and he would know them anywhere in the universe. He came back to the one with the gun. "Brakah. You were the first Irken I devoured. You begged… all of you did. Some selfishly, some unselfishly. Some of you had good lives, friends. Some of you had even fled Irk, and had started families. Like you, Brakah."

The laser pistol glowed as it warmed up. Riddick turned back to face the circle staring at him. "I know I can't take back the horrible fate I placed on all of you. I know I don't deserve anything. But… I'm so sorry. If there's one thing I regret in my life, it's taking your lives unjustly. Out of spite. That's all it was, vengeance and cold blooded murder because I felt cheated, and I wanted others to suffer loss like I did.

"I lost someone I called a father, and thought I was all alone. I thought this was my fate, but I found something to save me. I found my own family, and they helped heal me. They helped me see what I was doing, and face the reality…" He swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep looking at them. "It might not seem this way, but each and every one of your deaths meant something. Because of all of you, I lived. I stayed alive. And I'm here now, ready to destroy HIM." He pointed at HIM, who was digging two glowing orbs out of his body. "He's the reason we're all here, all suffering and blaming and murdering each other, conquering planets, destroying lives. I can end it! I can make sure it doesn't happen again! Not to future smeets, not to your family Brakah, not to anyone ever again. I can make sure all of your suffering counts toward the cause of saving our race forever. I can make up for—" His breath hitched and his eyes lowered. "But if you feel that is not enough justice, not enough restitution, you may kill me. And I will understand." He hung his head, waiting.

A clunk sounded, and he blinked as the laser gun dropped into view by his feet. A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked up to Brakah. The dull expression on the Irken's ruined face had been replaced by a serious expression, and the focus of someone who had passed through endless despair into clarity. "Forgive…. You…" he rasped.

Riddick took in a shuddering breath, as if a weight had rolled off his back.

Some of the army stared intently at Riddick, as if something had begun to awaken in their minds. Others looked at each other, unsure what to make of his confession and Brakah's acceptance.

"THE CANDLE STARTED THIS!" HIM raged, holding two glowing orbs in his right claw. "I WILL FINISH HER!"

A pink streak zipped past his tightening claw, snatching both orbs from his grip. He roared, swiping at Blossom, now weighed down by two giant Control Brains.

A dark shadow pooled at the feet of every mauled Irken, stretching to touch each one. As one, their eyes widened as memories were pulled to the surface, memories of the lives they had. Some of them with hidden families they'd kept from the Control Brains. Some of them reminded of comrades they'd had in training. Some of them recalling their normal lives as regular workers. Each and every life overshadowed, not by Riddick, but by the one that had engineered every situation to produce as much misery as possible. HIM. HIM had held Riddick's strings, enjoying every murder, each maiming. _As soon as he saw it,_ whispered through their minds, _Riddick cut the strings. He stands before you, freely asking forgiveness, knowing you may not give it. Knowing you may kill him. Because he knows what he did._

A murmur rippled outward, as the very air began to lighten around them.

HIM's claw finally connected, sending Blossom and the Brains falling to the ground. HIM raised a foot to stomp down on them, but Blossom opened her mouth, blasting a fountain of ice with all her strength. He smashed straight through, and she rolled them all out of the way moments before his foot came down.

"I know I took your lives." Riddick pleaded. "But each and every one of us, to some horrible extent, are all in this position because of HIM. I don't ask you to forgive me because I deserve it, I ask you to forgive me because it will save us and all who come later! You can make this difference!"

One of the half-alive Irkens who had been staring at Riddick the whole time finally opened her mouth. "For…give."

A few near her no longer had mouths, but nodded slowly. As they did, they slipped to the ground, the light in their eyes dulling as they were released from HIM's power into a peaceful rest.

HIM whipped around, breathing fire. "I GAVE YOU A CHANCE FOR REVENGE!"

Riddick raised a wall, blocking HIM's flames. "THEY REALIZE THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY WANTED! IT'S WHAT YOU WANTED! NOW THEY HAVE A CHANCE!"

More and more of them murmured, moaned, or groaned their assent. Slipping to the ground one by one as they released the despair and hate.

A bazooka hit HIM in the shoulder, and he staggered forward. Mikko darted toward where she'd last seen Zim flying, having scored her first damage. Dib followed close on her heels, providing cover fire from his arm.

As the Irkens dropped one by one, only Brakah remained standing. He took Riddick's hand, putting it to his own hand. Riddick blinks as a planet flashed through his mind on contact. A house. An Irken mother. Two smeets.

"Find… them." Brakah charged Riddick. "Tell them… I… loved… them… so much…"

Riddick took hold of Brakah's arms. "I will. I promise. I'll bring your body to them. You won't be left here to rot, I promise—" He was cut off as Brakah slumped over in Riddick's arms, a small smile crossing his face.

"Thank." He whispered, and then he was gone.

Riddick held onto him, and called, "Gaz, a moment?"

The shadow around the fallen Irkens pulled up into a form, staring down at him. Riddick held out the body. "Put him in a safe place please. We'll gather the rest later if we can, but I need to make sure this one makes it home."

Gaz took the body, vanishing.

The wall dropped, and Riddick turned to see HIM advancing. He clenched his fists, striding forward. "It's time your reign of horror came to an end. For everyone who has suffered. It's time to end this darkness."


	33. Battleground Irk

HIM roared as Riddick drew nearer. "You cannot win! I hold the souls of all the leaders locked in darkness. So you have retrieved two, it does not matter! The rest are mine!"

"Oh but where one falls, others will too." Red balls began appearing in the air as Riddick stepped onto a red platform. They pelted at the massive form of HIM, hitting him all over his body as Riddick buzzed around, evading the claws. "You're so reliant on this system, you never thought it could be broken! Well guess what, anything can be broken. Even you!"

HIM lashed out, catching Riddick with a ship-sized claw. "I am immortal. I am older than the first THOUGHT of your species, you insect!"

Riddick wrapped himself in a red sphere, wincing. HIM was powerful, it took a lot of energy to keep from being crushed. "You may be older than us, but we're smarter than you!"

A black shadow pooled into his sphere and Gaz slapped Riddick across the back of the head. _If you ever pull what you pulled before, I will end you._ She threatened. _But I'll let it go this time._

"Ow!" Riddick yelped. "I could do without the distraction right now!" He blinked. Had she just… forgiven him too?

HIM grunted, clenching his teeth as many of the other orbs embedded in his body began to glow. Riddick noticed, sending a flurry of red balls to bomb HIM's head. In need of both his claws, HIM released Riddick to block the barrage with one claw as he flailed at the glowing orbs in his body with the other.

"The whole system is collapsing!" Riddick crowed. "And I don't mind assisting!" He leaped onto HIM's shoulder, forming long red claws on the ends of his fingers. Leaping along HIM's body, he began tearing at his flesh. HIM cried out, swiping at him, but instead ripped out a glowing orb. He continued attacking the orbs, the pain they caused negating the strength he drew from them.

Alarms had begin to ring throughout the city shortly after HIM had swelled to the size of a skyscraper, but evacuations hadn't been necessary for decades, not since the failed Operation Impending Doom 1. Streams of Irkens and ships crowded to get away, but thousands were still dangerously close to the scene of conflict.

As HIM ripped the orbs out, Riddick darted down and flew up at HIM. His fist clenched, crackling with energy, slamming it into the side of HIM's face. HIM reeled back, toppling into an Irken building, taking it down. Hovering on his platform, marks aglow, Riddick sent streams of red energy blasting into HIM's chest. " HOW DOES THE PAIN FEEL?" he screamed, "IT DOESN'T AMOUNT TO A FRACTION OF THE PAIN YOU'VE CAUSED IN YOUR EXISTENCE!"

HIM grimaced, eyes aglow as he drew strength from the agony of the Irken lives being crushed to death beneath him, and launched back to his feet, sending a blast of fire toward Riddick, who barely zipped out of the way.

Blossom had just drawn the two Control Brains into a sheltered alley when one of them exploded outward in a flurry of shrapnel and spiderlegs. A tall Irken with red eyes staggered free, wild-eyed and covered in wires. He ripped himself free and rounded on the other Brain.

"GLORIA!" he roared. He fell on the brain, spiderlegs tearing the battered shell apart like it was tissue paper. He pulled a limp form from the shell, an unconscious woman with sweat-matted purple hair, her neck and head streaked with blood and trailing wires. A breathing mask emerged from the Irken's PAK and he clamped it over her face. Turning, he bolted away from the shells, carrying her away as fast as he could.

With no one to guard, Blossom exploded from her position, bodyslamming into HIM with the force of a meteor.

"FEEL IT, FEEL THE PAIN YOU'VE CAUSED!" Riddick shouted.

HIM reeled back from Blossom, only to be hit by Riddick on the other side. HIM flopped to the ground, sending shockwaves through the city, collapsing several buildings, and tried to pick himself up.

"Blossom, take my hand!" Riddick held his hand out, and as she took it, he grabbed her other hand. He flew with her, spinning around and around and around, pink and red streaks synchronizing. HIM managed to stand, only to see a pink and red twined streak blast through his stomach and out the other side. He dropped to a knee, coughing and gripping the hole in his middle.

Riddick brought the spinning to a stop, shaking his head free of the wooziness. "Hey, it worked! I thought it might."

Blossom gave a small grin. "We might just win this." She glanced over at HIM, and her eyes widened.

Mikko had found her brother, splayed out in the rubble. She'd dropped her cannon and was shaking him over and over, shouting, "Wake up! Wake up you idiot and I'll forgive you for all the times you tried to throw yourself away, I promise, just wake up!" As Dib stood nearby, arm at the ready and glowing.

HIM snaked a claw out, scooping up both Mikko and Zim, snapping his claw shut around them. Dib blasted at his claw and arm, but HIM merely winced and batted him out of the way.

"Zim! Mikko!" Riddick took a defensive stance, his arms wrapped in red glow. "Let them go, HIM! You've lost this battle!"

HIM leered, "Only the most desperate say the other has lost before the final blow. Lay down and die now, Riddick, and I might kill them quickly without a long, drawn out, agonizing end."

Riddick clutched at his head. _What hurts HIM? You know what does. Zim is unconscious. Mikko isn't… Mikko… MIKKO._ "MIKKO!" He screamed. "YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME!" _She never forgave me. She became indifferent, tolerated me…_

HIM bellowed, his claw suddenly glowing white-hot. He hurled the two from his claw as hard as he could—straight into the folds of a black shadow waiting to receive them. They vanished into Gaz as she hovered there, staring coldly at HIM.

Riddick snarled, "You've lost, HIM. Look around you! Overconfidence cost you everything. How does it feel to lose it all?!"

Blossom left Riddick's side, landing a series of attacks on HIM. Ice. Heat. Physical blows that ground him into the planet's crust. Oddly enough, as she did, the wound in his middle began closing up, and every new one she made healed within seconds.

"We'll see how long your regenerative ability lasts!" Riddick joined her, forming a red sword. He carved at HIM's chest, legs, and arms, but every gash healed.

HIM had stopped fighting back, eyes locked on Blossom as he inhaled deeply. Riddick froze in realization. "Blossom… Blossom STOP!" He grabbed her arm, yanking her back. "He's feeding off of you!"

She struggled, grating out, "I can kill him! We can kill him, we're so close, just let go!"

"This isn't the way! You're anger and hatred are in full force." He spun her around to face him. "We can't beat him with anger and hatred, look! It's just healing him! We need to find another way!" He held on as tightly as he could, feeling like his arms were about to break. "ANOTHER WAY!"

"Don't you DARE ask me to forgive HIM, Riddick don't you DARE."

"No, I won't, but there are other emotions and feelings that he hates, ones he abolished and kept down because they hurt HIM, we have to work with those!"

"STOP GETTING IN MY WAY RIDDICK!" She screamed.

"DAMN IT, I WON'T LET YOU FALL VICTIM TO HIM, I CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME?" He grabbed her face and brought his close, kissing her. His eyes widened in sudden realization, marks flickering like strobe lights, as HIM wailed in pain. His wounds had re-opened.


	34. The Final Blow

Riddick pulled back, a few shades greener than usual. "I… um… I… it…" He pointed at HIM weakly, "it worked… the thing…" he explained weakly, trying to cover. He wobbled mid-air. "I'm sorry… I…" he shook his head. "I know you said… and I said I wouldn't… but had to… don't want you to get hurt hurting HIM because… is that love? I… I…" He put his hands to his head in confusion, as Blossom stared, shell-shocked.

He noticed, reaching out to pat her face gently. "Blossom? Did I break you?" He grimaced, pulling himself together. "I'm sorry I did that, but I need you to focus on a different way to break HIM's power. Who else in your life can you possibly forgive?" His eyes flicked to the side as HIM strained to stand, staggering from his wounds. "Think quickly please, he's getting up."

Her eyes flickered for a moment as she thought. "M… Mojo… Jojo…" she gave a short laugh. "He was always… always trying to take over Townsville too. He tricked us into being his friends in the beginning, saying he was like us. But he betrayed us." She wiped her nose. "Dumb monkey… I'll miss him."

HIM reeled drunkenly, leaning heavily on another building for support. The building groaned threateningly under his weight, the Irkens inside scrambling and diving out the windows in terror.

"Good! Good!" Riddick put his hands on her shoulders. "Who else?"

"I forgive… Buttercup. For that time she cheated off me in class. And Bubbles, for that time she forgot we were supposed to meet the Professor for his birthday," her eyes welled up, "Because she was out picking flowers…"

He rubbed her shoulders gently. "It's ok Blossom, it's ok. Keep going, you aren't alone anymore. You won't ever be again, I promise."

Her mouth trembled as she pulled the last one out slowly, as if each word burned. "I… forgive…. myself…" she wrapped her arms around herself, her whole body shuddering with suppressed sobs. "I forgive myself for not stopping it in time…"

HIM's body gushed blood from every injury. The building crumbled to rubble under his weight, sending him back down to the ground, dazed and groaning in the ruins. Not even the deaths of the Irkens inside or the remaining Control Brains could sustain him.

Riddick hugged her, and then pulled back, thoughtful. "You know, as much as I begged them all to forgive me… for almost killing my mother, and my brother… I don't think I ever forgave myself either."

Blossom pulled him back into the hug. "I think you have to."

"They have all forgiven me," He agreed, "It would be stupid to hang onto this, wouldn't it?" He laid his head tiredly on Blossom's shoulder. "The only weight I hold onto, the weight of my own spite. But with you, Zim, my family… none of it seems to be worth holding onto anymore. I'm not that Riddick anymore, but I forgive myself. It's time for me to begin again, wherever that may take me."

Him's limbs thrashed as he began to shrink, like someone letting the air out of a balloon, until he had returned to normal size, looking like someone had beat the ever loving Irk out of him.

Riddick patted Blossom's back. "Shall we go finish this business?"

Blossom nodded, and the two of them flew down, landing a few feet away from HIM.

"Well well well, don't you look awful. My goodness, it feels like just minutes ago you were calling me a fly. Or a helpless little insect, I believe." Riddick snorted. "Well, this helpless little insect, this beautiful butterfly here," he gestured at Blossom, "And all these other insignificant little worms kicked. Your. Ass." He cocked his head to the side. "So, really, anything to say? You couldn't STOP talking before, going on and on about your grand plans and all the species you destroyed, all the while you had no backup plan. Just sheer desperation to try and win, and that failed. In the end, you were so easy to beat. But that was your game, wasn't it? Take people so far, right to the brink, that they'd never have thought about those poisonous words, would they? Forgiveness. Love. Happiness. You can't survive with that, and even when people fought you, you fed off of them. And now look at you. It looks like someone put you through a meat grinder. Well," He fashioned a red teacup out of thin air, and sipped it mockingly. "Looks like you have lost. Dare I say, you've been humiliated. How does that make you feel?"

HIM pulled his lips back over jagged, broken teeth, snarling, "You talk too much." Lunging, he reached to stab a claw through Riddick's gut. Blossom caught his claw with her bare hand, prying it apart painfully as he writhed.

Riddick grabbed HIM by the goatee, staring into his eyes. "You know HIM, I've been thinking. You've done a lot in your life, haven't you? So much that every single person thinks you are the most despicable monster in the universe, right?"

HIM spat in Riddick's face.

Riddick sighed, wiping his face. "See, that's what I'm talking about! You make sure people think you are scum, putrid, merciless, cold, and monstrous." His mouth curved up into a sweet smile. "Who could EVER forgive someone like that? Why, it seems, no one could. Because if they ever could, well… if people forgiving EACH OTHER is torture for you, if someone were to forgive YOU… well, I shudder to think."

HIM's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, wouldn't I?" His eyes narrowed. "I think I would. Four words could kill you… how does that make you feel?"

And just as quickly, the fear faded, and HIM's smile returned, dripping with menace. "But you can't, can you?" He smiled sweetly, to match Riddick's expression. "Oh Riddick, you forgot something. Words alone do nothing. In order to forgive, it has to be sincere." He stood, shoving Riddick's hand off. "And that is why you, and everyone else in the universe and all of time and space, will never, ever, ever be able to kill me."

Frowning, Riddick countered, "If it meant destroying you, I would make myself do it, even if everything in me wrenched against it."

HIM laughed, the hysterical howling laughter of one barely let off the hook. "But you see, you can't! You can't! If your whole being wrenches against it, if you cannot bring your will and your heart to it, then it is not real! YOU HAVE FAILED!" HIM grinned, almost dizzy with twisted joy. "Yes, I am beaten for now, but I will return. And when I return, I will be stronger than ever. Perhaps you will be able to live your life safe, but I swear your family will be forever cursed. I will hunt down each and every one of them, no matter how far the generations extend, and make sure they each enjoy a personalized hell crafted just for them." His eyes burned. "And I will let you live out the rest of your life, thinking about that."

Riddick's fists clenched, horror growing in his gut. Blossom's eyes were wide as she put a hand on his arm. Had they really come this far just to fail in the end?

A throat cleared behind HIM. He turned to see a shadow hovering just behind him, with glowing red eyes.

"What do you want?" HIM spat.

Gaz tilted her head sideways, still staring at HIM as if puzzling something out. _"You're the reason all those bad things happened to my mother. You're the reason my family kept falling apart. You're the reason I have to put up with stupid Irkens, aren't you?"_

HIM smirked. "What of it?"

_"You're also the reason I have the Mom that I have. The reason my family ended up pulling together tighter, even though it's a smaller family now. The reason that my Mom now has a whole army to protect her from anything terrible ever happening again."_

HIM's grin faded, and Riddick's eyes widened.

 _"In the end, my life so far has turned out better than it would have otherwise."_ She shrugged, almost nonchalantly. _"Yeah. I forgive you."_

HIM's back arched as he bent backwards, almost double, as a scream ripped from his throat. Every wound in his body blazed with light for a few agonizing moments, before his body disintegrated, flying apart and settling as dust.

Riddick coughed, waving a hand at the settling dust. "It's….. over?"

 _"Mhm."_ Gaz turned her gaze on him. _"Now one of you has to tell me where the stupid hospital is. Stupid Zim got a stupid concussion and broken bones. Moron."_

Dib chuckled as he walked up, patting his sister.

"Figures." Riddick sighed, and looked around at the destroyed buildings, hearing the cries of trapped and injured Irkens. "How many Irkens can you carry, Gaz? I think a few more will need the hospital."

Gazy's eye twitched slightly. _"You're placing an awful lot of confidence in my self control._ " She griped, but began swooping around the ruins, collecting patients. Blossom squeezed Riddick's hand and took off after Gaz.

Riddick and Dib headed toward the nearest collapsed building, as Riddick muttered, "We've got a lot of work ahead to fix this mess."

Dib punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Come on. For an ex-alien hunter, two super-powered aliens, an Irken-eating shadow, a super-powered girl, and the prettiest fighter in the world, we did pretty good. I think we've got this covered. Now help me lift this wall."


	35. Hospital-ity

The hospital was crammed to capacity and overflowing by the time Riddick finally arrived. In fact, three separate buildings were being converted to hospitals to house the overflow of injured, crushed Irkens even as one hastily assembled crew collected and disposed of the fatalities.

Riddick entered one of the buildings, drawn past the bustling medics and injured moans to a familiar flicker of energy. It was weary, and still unconscious, but undeniably Zim.

Stepping through a set of doors, he fixed his hat idly. "I should make a note, perhaps, to try and evacuate an area more thoroughly the next time we fight a giant monster."

Dib snorted slightly as he continued his pacing. He strode back and forth between two beds. One housed an unconscious, small green lump. Mikko sat at the edge of that bed, holding a three-clawed hand, a slightly lost expression on her face. The other bed cradled a human woman with long purple hair, also unconscious and hooked to life support. Red was also there, hooked to IVs and wires, but seemed to have refused a bed, preferring to sit by Gloria's side. He had fallen forward in his sleep, sprawled over onto the edge of Gloria's bed. A dark shadow rested around Gloria's shoulders, tiny tendrils working through her hair in an unending, anxious pleading to wake up.

"The mood seems to be quite somber, eh?" He glanced around the room. "Still out cold, all of them. Can't blame them, I thought I went through a tornado today. I feel like I got off easy compared to them."

"Yeah," Dib agreed, "Still out cold, can you get these off me and Mikko?" He flourished his wrists, caught in thick manacles and chains. "They wouldn't let us humans in without ensuring we were prisoners. Not that I blame them," he said wryly, "I've done the same."

Rolling his eyes, Riddick sliced through Dib and Mikko's manacles like butter with red energy. "They haven't been rightly informed yet, that's papi's job. But he's still out cold… haven't even told him the news about me yet, don't know if I want to when he wakes up. He may just pass out again."

Red snapped to full attention, staring around in a daze for a moment. He caught sight of Riddick and yanked out a laser, aiming and priming it in half a second. A shadow ran up and along his arm, freezing him. He let his eyes slide from Riddick to Gaz, and back to Riddick. His voice was tight, anger and fear warring in his tone. "For some reason, my warden would prefer I not kill you where you stand… though why I can't begin to understand after what you did." His mind fixed firmly on the last image he'd seen of Riddick—pointing dozens of red weapons conjured out of nowhere at Gloria.

Riddick arched an eyeridge. "You want the full story then? I think you'll change your tone."

"You'll need this for dramatic effect." A playful voice noted as a red cloak settled around his shoulders. Blinking, Riddick turned his head to see who gave him the cloak. He knew who it was, but the tone was definitely different.

Blossom hovered behind him, having finally gotten the chance to clean up. She'd found some drone's discarded uniform, but it was too small. She shifted, tugging at the fabric. "Are most Irkens really short?"

"Yes, they are. You look nice, though. All cleaned up and… such." He glanced away, his cheeks a darker green.

"Didn't they cuff you?" Dib asked the Puff.

"They tried. They gave up when I kept breaking the chains." Blossom shrugged.

"Is anybody going to explain why we're all so calm about the bounty hunter that was trying to kill my co-ruler?" Red asked, his voice brittle.

"Yes, fine, of course." Riddick settled into storytelling mode. "It all started when I found Gloria again…"

…

"…So there it is, Danem. Or perhaps Daddy? Papa? I'm new at this, whichever you prefer." Riddick brushed his shoulders off.

Red's first reaction was to whip his head around the room, scanning the cameras in the corners.

 _"Already taken care of."_ Gaz projected tiredly. _"They can't hear anything."_

Red slowly brought his head back around and stared at Riddick. Something in his mind clicked as he spoke, "There were… two… that went through the Time Object Displacement Device."

"Yep, and lucky us, we made it. One's currently unconscious over there, one's here staring at you. I think I got your eyes, they've got that sharpness that mine do." He preened slightly. "Commanding."

Gaz muttered, _"You've got Red's ego for sure."_

Gloria shifted slightly, but Red's attention was still on Riddick. "You can't speak of this outside of this room. I'll tell you the same thing I told Zim. You cannot speak of this connection…" he relented slightly, "At least not anywhere that has not been secured."

"Not until you start getting rid of the laws HE put into motion. I don't expect something like this to be taken to immediately, but you deserve to be proud of your own children and what they've accomplished. At least…" he looked down. "I hope you're proud. Did my best I suppose."

Red's eyes never left Riddick. "I am proud. I'm very proud of both of you. But centuries of laws can't be undone in days. It may take years, even decades, before some of the damage is undone. And I need help." He rubbed his eyes, fatigued. "I've lived in it for so long, I can't even see some of the things that are wrong, and I don't know how to tell anymore."

A hand rested on his arm, squeezing gently. He turned to see Gloria looking at him, eyes wide open.

"Something tells me I'll have help though." He managed, thickly.

Riddick nodded. "I don't think you could have a better partner. I may be biased though, something tells me I'm a Momma's boy."

Gloria gave the shadow at her shoulders a gentle nuzzle as it cradled her head. She reached over to Dib, who hurried to her side and took her hand. She held it, looking up at him in concern.

Dib shook his head. "No, Mom. I'm me. I'm really really sorry."

She squeezed his hand, then turned and reached a hand out to Riddick.

Taking it gently, Rididck said, "What you did, Maneem, was truly amazing. You helped us bring down HIM. I was proud to call you my mother before, of course. But I now believe that I have the best one in the world." He nodded to himself. "I'm definitely a Momma's boy."

Gloria tried to speak, but the mask blocked her. After checking the machinery very carefully, Red determined her stable. He removed the mask gently as she coughed. She looked up, her eyes shining. "So proud of you. Both of you." Her eyes flickered with concern. "Where is…?"

"Zim's still taking a nap over there." He indicated the other bed. "He went through quite a lot, but he gave us the true key to bring down that monster."

"The key…" Gloria's eyes widened as she remembered her own encounters, and turned to Red. "Red, the other Tallests?! It all went dark—"

Red stroked her hand gently. "You vanished from the hall, and they started to panic because they didn't know who would forgive them. But you started it, Gloria. They were the leaders of Irk throughout history, they were smart. They realized the only person left who could forgive them was themselves, and most of them did so."

"All the orbs, all glowing," Dib recalled with a murmur.

"There are a few left alive, my four predecessors are in critical condition. Their bodies hadn't expired yet. We may lose a couple, but we will have a council of Tallests once they've healed."

Riddick turned toward Zim's bed, where Mikko sat. She hadn't moved or looked elsewhere even once. He started toward Zim.

 _"Riddick,"_ Gaz murmured into his mind, _"Just… brace yourself."_

"He's unconscious but he's alive." Riddick shrugged off her concern. He walked over, putting a hand on Mikko's shoulder. "Hey, he'll be alright. I know it sounds silly, but I feel like I know Zim better than almost everyone—considering how short a time we've really known each other. Call it brotherly… instinct…"

He took in Zim's state. Zim's face was different, in a way few Irken faces got to be. His cheeks sagged, and the area around his eyes wrinkled deeply. His antennae were no longer the rick black of a young Irken. The color had leached out to a deep gray, like the black had faded. He was, if possible, even smaller than before. Even the skin on his arms hung, sagging.

Riddick's hand stayed on Mikko's shoulder, and Mikko did not move.


	36. Assessing the Damage

Mikko's voice was shaky as she said, "He… he looks older, Riddick."

Riddick rubbed her shoulder gently, keeping his own voice steady. "I know."

"What happened to him?" She asked, barely holding together.

"HIM changed the rules. Every time he used his power in the fight, it drained more of his lifespan. I tried to ensure he wouldn't have to use it, but… HIM had other plans."  
Zim bolted up, almost smacking foreheads with Mikko as he gasped, "YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM, THEY HAVE TO FORGIVE, THAT'S THE KEY! THEY HAVE TO…" He blinked, his senses taking in his surroundings. "Hospital."

"We figured it out already." Riddick patted his head. "We're recovering now, sleepyhead. Glad you aren't dead."

"We… we won?" Zim's face split with a heartbreakingly joyful smile. "I did something right, and we won?"

"We won." Riddick hugged him around the neck. "You helped us win. You're a hero to this whole world, Zim. And to your brother."

Zim blinked, and gingerly hugged Riddick back, grinning. He caught sight of his own arms, noting the wrinkles and translucent skin, and his smile vanished. "Oh." He sighed regretfully. "I used a lot of time, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Riddick flicked him on the forehead. "I suppose it couldn't be helped, you're just so stubborn and all. But you certainly aren't helping things emotionally." He gestured toward Mikko.

Zim glanced at his sister, who dropped her gaze down quickly.

"Hey… smeet?"

"I'm not a smeet anymore." She mumbled.

"You're always Smeet to Zim." He took her hand gently. "Zim is still here. I'm not gone. I didn't throw myself away. And you helped, didn't you?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes.

He pulled her into a gentle hug. "You did a lot of growing up too, you know. You're not so quiet and scared of everything anymore. You couldn't even say two words together when I first came to your home. Look at you now, shooting cannons at a monster the size of a building." Mikko gave a half sob half laugh. "It'll be okay. I think things will calm down, maybe."

Riddick patted Mikko on the back. "I may not have known you as long as Zim, but whatever my words are worth, I too am proud of you."

Zim blinked, looking at himself again. "I used a lot of time… and energy." He pulled back. "Why can I still move? Last time I did that I couldn't even move.

 _"It involves an Irken that was already dead, and a feeding tube."_ Gaz deadpanned from across the room. _"Don't ask how one went into the other."_

Zim shuddered, gagging a little, but shut his mouth. He was grateful he hadn't been awake for that.

"I'm even proud of you too, Inky sister dear." Riddick called wryly. "You, after all, finished HIM off."

The tired little puddle managed to turn an icy glare on Riddick. _"Push it, Irken. Push it. I can still give you nightmares you won't be able to burn out of your head for weeks."_

"Oh we're gonna be great friends, I just know it." Riddick snorted.

Zim looked down at his arms again, biting his lip and silently wondering how much time he had left.

"Shocked you haven't asked why I'm so level headed right now, and not choking you on the hospital bed for being so stupid and careless." Riddick eyed him.

"I wasn't being stupid or careless," Zim retorted, "I knew what I was doing. I couldn't let HIM get to you."

"Of course. What kind of protective little brother would you be if you didd? And what kind of big brother would I be if I let that be in vain? But you would expect me to react, wouldn't you? So why aren't I?"

"Well?" Zim demanded.

Riddick looked at him somberly. "There were times in that battle where I thought we were all going to die, you know. All that matters to me now is that you're alive and well. How you look doesn't matter. We all knew there was risk and sacrifice involved in defeating that monstrosity. It didn't kill you, so I'm not mad at you as long as you aren't dead. Sound good?"

Zim cracked a grin, nodding.

Red carefully guided his hoverchair over to them, looking even more haggard. "I've been in communication with Zim's base," He gestured to the communication panel in the wall. "We will be joined by Zim's familial unit shortly. I'm having my drones target a teleportation device within Zim's base, but it is deflecting all attempts to establish such a link. Zim, please tell your SIR unit that things are back to normal. He doesn't believe I'm a normal Taco." Red's eye twitched.

Zim turned to the wall panel nearest his bed to speak with GIR.

A grunt sounded behind Riddick, followed by the sound of cloth tearing. He turned to see Blossom still trying to make the uncomfortable looking uniform fit correctly, only succeeding in tearing it. He strode over to her. "Mind if we talk in private? Perhaps we can find an outfit better suited for you, you look ready to rip that in two."

Blossom nodded, giving up. "Something better fitting would be nice." She hovered out with him.

He led the way, avoiding the crowded areas of the intensive care units as they found the only quiet place in the building—the laundry facilities. "So, holding up alright?"

Blossom hovered in place, not fully looking at him. "I think so. It's going to take a long time though. I miss them." Her voice wasn't steady.

"I know. But think about it, you kicked HIM's behind. We all did. We made him pay, and he felt all the pain he's caused. Even if you couldn't see them, they were there cheering you on. You can envision that, can't you?"

The ghost of a smile lifted the corners of her lips. "Yeah, a little."

"You lied to me, you know." Riddick put on a stern face.

"What?" Blossom blinked, caught off guard.

"You told me a bit ago there would be no more smiles." He touched her cheek gently, with a smirk. "Well then, what's this I see?"

Her cheeks colored, and she turned away, mumbling, "Jerk." But there was no venom in it.

"Yes, I am a jerk. A jerk who kisses you and stammers for ten minutes. I'm more of a mess, really." He noted, amused at himself.

Blossom arched an eyebrow. "You are at that. But you managed to do a pretty good job." She paused, then hastily amended, "At the fighting, I mean. With the fighting."

Riddick slowly arched an eyeridge to match. "At the fighting, eh?"

"Yes, at the fighting." She turned, finding a bin of clean garments, and began to rummage through them.

Riddick leaned on the edge of it. "Mhmm. I see. Well fighting is something I'm quite good at. Kissing, pssh. I'm a failure at it." He grinned playfully. "Who would ever want me kissing them, right? You can just spread the word about how awful it really was so it doesn't happen again."

She rummaged deeper, so her whole upper body was concealed by clothes. "Yep." Her muffled voice floated up. "That's exactly what I'm going to do."

"You wouldn't happen to be hiding because your face has turned the same color as your bow, now would you?"

Blossom slowly pulled out, staring at him. "How'd you know I had a red bow? I lost it in the blast."

"I dabbled a little in your thoughts. Nothing too personal. I was going to ask about you getting access to the Irken libraries, you seem to be a bit of a bookworm."

Frowning a little, Blossom muttered, "Well, stay out of my memories. They're private." Even so, the mention of a library put interest back in her face.

"Again, nothing personal, I wouldn't dream of it. But what I saw did give me a thought. First, you were adorable as a child, but that's no surprise to me. But you know, you aren't exactly Blossom without that bow. I saw you even slept in it sometimes. I've never had human hair so I don't really know what having a cloth knot in it is like, but I'm sure it's fun."

She crossed her arms, pressing her lips together to hold back the tears. That bow, like many other things and people, were lost, and it was a painful reminder.

"My point being, of course, I have something for you." He lifted up his hat to reveal a small present box. "Yes, that's been there the whole time." He leaned forward a little. "Go on, take it."

She took it gingerly, pulling of the top. Inside was a bow, almost exactly like hers. The color was a slightly darker shade of red, and there was more of a shine to it. It matched a color she'd grown used to seeing, in fact.

"It's no trouble at all really," Riddick coughed. "A little patch of my cloak, easily replaceable. Would have given up the whole thing if needed, really."

She looked up at him, and back down at the bow. She pulled it out, holding it for a moment, before carefully pinning it in her hair.

"There's one more thing I picked up in your memories." He fished in his cloak. "I remember you picked it up when we first met. I didn't think much of it then, until I saw what it meant to you. You left it in my cloak, so I took the liberty of restoring it in our recovery time." He pulled out the Powerpuff Phone, looking good as new. "It works too, I made sure."

She stared at it for a very long time. She took it from him, holding it carefully like it was made of spun glass, her lip trembling. It took her a few attempts to be able to say clearly, "Thank you. Obviously you know what this means to me."

"Yes. Figured we could use it as a hotline for Irk if Father needs us when everything get situated. Or, you can, anyway, use it wherever you go." He shifted, looking away. "Obviously you'll probably want to be alone now that HIM is gone. Be on your own. Do your own things. Which is fine of course! Things are good."

Blossom stared at the phone in her hands. "And what are you going to do?"

"Well, station myself on Earth. Find a place that's close to Zim and Dib's residences so we can all be close and stay together. They are family, of course, I don't want to be far away from them ever again if I can help it."

She stroked the top of the phone, eyes lost in thought. "They live in a weird city. I've been there once, trailing that stalker kid back to… persuade him… that he needed to stay away." She pursed her lips. "It… probably could use… someone to take care of it."

"I heard there was a giant fish in a bear suit there once." Riddick informed her.

"Oh those are easy," she scoffed, " You just flip them on their backs and they don't know what to do." She squeezed the handle of the phone. "I guess I'll inform the mayor then." Her tone is final and decided. The mayor obviously has no choice in the matter. "Just keep your creepy stalker brother at a distance, yeah? Really not interested in photo ops." She opened her mouth, sending a freezing blast over Riddick's shoulder. Behind him, Dib yelped as his camera froze to his hand.

"You know," Riddick said, ignoring Dib, "If there's one thing I am truly proud of, aside from helping save worlds, it's making you smile. And that's the truth."

Blossom gazed at him for a moment, then leaned forward, giving him a very short peck on the cheek before pulling back and rummaging for clothes again.

Riddick immediately flopped over onto his side like a sack of potatoes.

"Figures." Blossom muttered. Pulling out a larger garment, she found an empty room and closed the door to change.

"Smooth." Dib muttered, attempting to peel the camera off his hand.

"I'd destroy you right now," Riddick sighed with delight, "But I'm in much too pleasant a mood. Also all of my ligaments have ceased to function, so, I'm sort of stuck here."

"Can't destroy me," Dib returned cheerfully. "Mom would kill you. Don't worry, it passed, and you'll be able to think again."

"Good, it's quite hard to think straight right now, but I'll keep it in mind, wise talking mailbox."

Dib rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."


	37. Taken to Task

"My Tallest!" Red lifted his head to see an official looking Irken bustle in, apparently distressed. "We have teleported the alien filth—" He shot a peeved look at Mikko and her unchained wrists, "Into the building, unbound as per your request. There is a rather large dark tall one that refuses to allow any of them to come. At laser point, he only demands to speak with Zim 'if everything is really alright.' Shall we stun them and bring them all along?"

Red glanced at Zim, who sagged slightly.

"I think I need to speak with him." Zim's claws knotted in the sheets. "Mikko, you should go."

She frowned. "Why would I—"

"Please, Smeet." He said quietly. "I lost Tom's trust. I want to regain it myself." Reluctantly, she left the room as Red gestured to the official, who left to retrieve Tom.

"Da—Tallest Red." Zim hesitated, looking hard at his own lap. "You will hear some things you do not understand that happened. Please… please do not think less of Zim… I have done some terrible things since the last time you saw me. Perhaps Mother can explain."

Red frowned, turning to Gloria for explanation as Tom strode through the doors. He came to a stop uncomfortably close to Zim's bedside, his hands clenching and unclenching. His hands were all Zim could see, as he kept his head down and his antennae submissively low.

"You look up at me now." Tom's voice was low, and carried a hint of a threat.

Zim pulled together all the nerve he could and lifted his head. Tom's face was like a thundercloud, and his eyes held the hurt of betrayal. For a long time, neither spoke, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally, Zim broke the silence.

"Say something." He whispered. "It's why you're here. It's why you left the rest of them outside and I asked Mikko to leave."

Tom's whole arm tightened at the mention of Mikko. Zim, trained to see a violent move in the works, recoiled, alarm flooding him. Tom had _never_ raised a hand against him…

And still he didn't. He seemed to be holding his arm in place by force of will, against the urge to strike Zim then and there. Zim filled to the brim with hurt and confusion. He had not harmed Tom, he had shown the man nothing but respect. Why now was he ready to hit him?

"You never think, do you?" He rasped darkly. "You never think about the consequences your actions have on other people. You make whatever deal with the devil in the desert and come back some kind of murderous maniac. You have to eat one of your own in the same building as us—my _wife_ cooked it for you! My daughter watched you eat it!" Tom's voice kept rising, as Red's head swiveled toward them, dumb shock spreading across his face. "Then you up and _vanish_ along with Gloria, this magician, and my daughter Mikko. Not one word to us, not letting us know where you're going or what you're doing, or if we're going to be living underground in a base that's a robot child for the rest of our lives or ANYTHING." His eyes narrowed. "And you put Mikko in danger."

The words twisted in Zim's gut like knives, and it was all he could do to keep his head up.

"Give me one reason, Zim." Tom challenged, his voice low and angry.

Zim sucked in a breath. He knew Tom was on the verge of leaving, never speaking to or seeing him again, he was that upset. Everything knotted up inside. Tom was not his Danem, but his respect for the human was near equal to it. He'd always helped Zim, given him the benefit of the doubt—often before Della even—and helped Zim pull himself to his feet after falling. Here on the verge of this human's rejection, Zim fumbled for the words that would keep him from leaving.

Nothing came, but a simple, pathetic sentence. "I only ever did the best I knew how," Zim said, his eyes filling. He rubbed his eyes clear, angry at his emotions for betraying him to weakness. "I'm sorry. I don't do things right most of the time, but nobody's there to tell me what to do, and I have to do the best I can with only a few seconds and a cracked mind to figure out what that is."

The silence hung so long and thick, Zim was sure he'd said the wrong thing, and that he'd never see Tom again. Then, his bed groaned under the weight of the man settling on the edge of his bed. Tom lifted Zim's chin to look into his face intently.

"Zim. Ever since you've come into our lives, everything's been topsy turvy. Sometimes it straightened out for awhile, but it always went crazy again and again. My family's been attacked and threatened more times than I care to recall because we've taken you in. You have to promise me my daughters won't be hurt again because of you."

Zim gulped air, trying to hold off the burning in his chest and behind his eyes. "Tom you know I can't promise that." He tugged open his hospital garment, revealing the scars lacing his torso. He took Tom's hand and put it on one particularly long, precise scar that ran the length of his now-wrinkled torso. "But you know I'd do anything to get them home safely. That I can promise."

Tom closed his eyes, hand still on the scar, weighing something behind his eyelids. He released a long, low sigh, the tension deserting his shoulders, and Zim almost melted in relief.

"And you always have." Tom admitted, pulling his hand back. His mouth twisted, as if he regretted his harshness, but Zim shook his head.

"And you have always been the protector of that family, much longer than I have," Zim murmured, dipping his head. "You had every right to demand answers. There is much to explain, but it would be simpler if everyone was here."

Tom nodded, and turned back to the doors, opening them. He'd barely cracked them before Della stormed through, followed closely by Tiana, Mikko, and Tunaghost.

"You!" Della fumed. "You are in SO MUCH TROUBLE. You left without a note? A word? Anything? And look at you! You look old, what did you do to yourself?" She crossed the room, grabbing his shoulders hard. "What trouble did you get yourself into, Zim? Answer me!"

A wide grin had spread across his face, his eyes glittering with more emotions than he knew how to contain as he stared up at her. He choked out, "I love you too Maneem."

She stopped, stunned, as Tiana burst out laughing.

"He learned how Mom says I love you!" She giggled. "Took you long enough." She hopped up on the other side of the bed, throwing her arms around Zim and nuzzling his face. "Missed you, Zim."

He carefully disengaged Della's hands before wrapping his arms tightly around Tiana, burying his face in her shoulder. "I missed you too, Smeet. I had a huge adventure though, and I got to be a hero. I can tell you all about it soon."

"Zim."

Zim raised his head, looking across the room to Red. The Tallest stared at him, a very mixed expression on his face. Zim's antennae lowered, he knew Red had been told.

"You can't stay here." Red said lowly. "Some things can be accepted over time, but not this. If word ever breaks, you will be executed."

"That's okay My Tallest." Zim's arms tightened around Tiana. "I think all I want to do is go home, very soon." He turned to Della, exhaustion and emotion rising up to finally spill the tears from his eyes. "Can we go home soon Maneem? Please? Please take me home."

She stared down at him, swallowing hard, and sat down, drawing him and Tiana both into her arms. "Yeah Zim. We're all going home together very soon."

…..

Red watched the scene before him, a small ache in his chest. Zim could never look at him like that, or at Gloria for that matter. The laws that still bound Irk would truly take decades to unravel, and until then Zim could be executed at any time for his hybrid birth. And now, for his cannibalism. Already his mind was turning, trying to find a solution for both his sons to survive without costing his subjects their lives.

A shadow brushed across his arm, and a tired voice interjected into his thoughts.

_"It would not be hard at all to send them Irkens that have died. You just incinerate their shells anyway, and they only need one per month each. Or criminals who have been executed. I can bring the bodies from the incineration pile to them, no one will know."_

_Quite generous of you,_ he thought back carefully, _And quite a bit of work considering you don't like Irkens and their interference._

 _"I don't, but I could never stop it before. Besides,"_ She hesitated, before slowly admitting, _"She's safe now. Safer than she's ever been."_ Her red eyes drifted closed, as she passed to him the reluctant admittance, _"And you do not need a warden anymore. I know she is safe with you most of all."_

Red stared at her in shock. _Are you saying—_

 _"That you will never again be in danger from me. Yes."_ She drifted into sleep, muttering, _"Don't ever make me regret it."_

"I won't." He whispered quietly, slipping his hand through Gloria's.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chronology of this chapter is going to be a bit weird cause I'm trying to track with a summary's worth of info, and it's going to be a little piecemeal. Sorry, try to track with me.

The following days and weeks were a whirlwind of activity. In addition to Red, there were four surviving Tallests in critical condition, and only two left the hospital. Tallest Red held council with the family that took Zim in, and asked if they would consider assisting in the rehabilitation of these Tallests and other problem Irkens. Whether or not they agreed, he said, they would never lack for anything because of the care they had taken with Zim.

"Thank you," Tom had replied firmly, "But Zim's all we can handle. He's our family now, but we have Tiana and Mikko to tend to also." He glanced at Della. "But maybe when Tiana's in High Skool, we could talk again."

For her assistance, Agent Tunaghost was offered the positions of Irk's sole magic instructor, and counselor to the Tallest. "After all," Red noted, "Words bound us, and words freed us. There's some strange power in them, and you know this power." Offered access to all Irken records and histories to comb through, as well as that of all conquered species, she instantly agreed.

Red revoked Zim's Mekrelmar status officially, taking the same branding liquid to mar the old scar to be unrecognizable. He informed Riddick and Zim of how he would send them each one Irken corpse per month, assuring a rather distressed Zim that they would have already lived out their lives.

When the destruction of Townsville was brought to his attention by Riddick, Red addressed Blossom separately, taking a knee and asking solemnly for her forgiveness for the obliteration of her city. With all she had seen, she was able to release and forgive him. He immediately commissioned that the city be rebuilt, with a monument to her two fallen sisters and her father in the center of the city.

After returning what was left of Brakah's body to his family, Riddick returned to the city where he'd once hunted his mother and Zim, setting up a small—less menacing—circus act. He always did a good job, but whenever he saw a red bow in the audience, his performance reached peak quality and his act became a thing of wonder. He managed to visit Red and Gloria on occasion, under the guise of a private show, and always left with one of Lady Gloria's now-coveted paintings tucked under his arm.

Blossom visited the New Townsville on occasion, but chose to move into its neighboring city. She'd barely enrolled in college courses before monsters began appearing with more frequency in the city. Oddly enough, for the first year, each monster left bouquets of flowers and massive sympathy cards littered in the streets before the fight. Between beating back monsters and college, she would often be seen in the company of a red-cloaked Irken. Within a few years, they celebrated as one of two couples at a double wedding.

The other couple, of course, being Dib and Mikko. Mikko set herself to master as many arts of self-defense and combat as possible. Dib had become Earth's official ambassador to Irk, and with the status came all kinds of attention and acclaim from all corners of the world. He, however, only had eyes for Mikko. Zim put up a fuss at anyone dating his adopted sister, even if it was his brother and best friend, but eventually he settled into a sort of grumpy sulk as he watched events unfold. He carried his sulk to their wedding, but Tiana swore up and down that she saw him smile when they kissed. He denied it vehemently, but everyone knew he was glad. "Somebody's got to keep an eye on you," He'd stated when giving his congratulations. When asked whether he was addressing Mikko or Dib, he simply said, "Yes," and walked off, grinning.

When Zim had returned to earth with his family, the first thing he did was build Gaz a small healing room in his base. It was a soundproof room that played only the most soothing classical musics he could acquire. Gaz vanished into this room for an entire month, and emerged finally able to correctly shift again. For many years, she was rarely seen, only checking in with Zim and Dib on occasion, though more often with Gloria. It was Dib who first noticed she began leaving with less of a shadow each time.

During this time, Zim ordered GIR to copy the appearance of Della and Tom's household into the base structure, then replace their damaged building with the base. After that was complete, he downloaded GIR back into his body, and retreated to the underground sections of the house-base. He'd had enough, he decided, of the outside world. Everyone tried to dissuade him from retreating like that, Riddick and Della most of all, but he would have none of it. "Everything I need is right here," he insisted, "And anyone who wants to visit me can."

And so, he passed his years in the house. He would leave on occasion, sometimes to "offer his advice concerning Earth" to Tallest Red and Lady Gloria, or for events he could not miss like the double wedding and Tiana's Skool graduations and the grand opening of her beauty parlor. Once a month he would emerge from the underground base to find a large package by the entrance. Its contents were always Irken meat, fully cooked and not resembling an Irken at all. He'd cautiously asked around, but nobody claimed responsibility for the act. Red insisted he sent them as corpses, and Della would shake her head, slightly pale. Even Riddick claimed ignorance, as he received the bodies as they were sent. Zim eventually stopped asking, just accepting this act as a kindness from someone trying to help him get through the act easier.

Red found, due to his actions, he needed to re-negotiate with the Earth governments. Not, of course, due to any lack of power on his part, but to keep good relations with the planet he'd threatened to wipe out. Searching his technological databases, he found the thing he could give the planet without unnaturally speeding their technological growth. He seeded the oceans, lakes, and rivers with tiny nanobots that converted garbage and pollutants into sand or water. He sent them into the countries considered wastelands and enriched the ground, allowing for plant growth. So stunned were all the governments that they heartily agreed to his second peace treaty.

In all this, he found great support in Lady Gloria. In every major council, she accompanied him. At first she was silent in the meetings, especially when no other humans were present, only speaking with Red after the fact. But after a time, she began contributing to the discussions as she gained confidence. Red, for his part, often deferred to her. At times he was unable to respond immediately to her suggestions, as changing the mindset of an entire race was a difficult thing to accomplish, but he always held her thoughts in mind as he worked to undo centuries of damage.

Between the two of them was an unspoken agreement that they would never again engage in what Red called "mating" because of the painful memories. However, on nights when Gloria could not sleep, or when Red suffered from nightmares, there would be a soft knock on the adjoining door, and an extra body in the bed, holding them close throughout the night. And in this way, they healed each other, and were able to work toward the betterment of their species.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About the monsters and their sympathy, I remember there was a PPG episode where it was revealed that monsters came to Townsville specifically to face the PowerPuffs as a sort of rite of passage, so I figure they were really sorry to see two of them fall. (insists to the death that this behavior would be canon)


	39. And on...

Time passed. Approximately 75 Earth years, and many things had changed.

Once Blossom reached her twenties, her body stopped aging as time wore on. An unexpected side effect of Chemical X, she found through research.

Riddick, sustained through his curse, would live out a similar lifespan to that of an Irken with a PAK, and was still in his prime.

Gloria had passed on. Against Red's strong advice, arguing, and even pleading, she had chosen to not have her life mechanically extended. She insisted on living out her years naturally, as an example to the Irken race, as the first generation of PAKless smeets was being hatched in the smeeteries. Phasing out the smeeteries and introducing natural parenting would come in time, but the initial wave of shorter-lived Irkens had been greeted with some alarm, and so Gloria chose to be an example of dying peacefully, which she did. And an entire race, xenophobic for centuries, mourned the death of their Lady Gloria.

Red would not leave her quarters for a week afterward, sitting among her paintings and grieving in a way he did not know he was capable of. He would have remained there longer, had he not been visited by a quiet shadow, who reminded him that he had an Empire to rule, one which Lady Gloria had come to care for as her own, and that they needed their remaining ruler. He resumed his duties as Tallest, always holding his Co-Ruler and her wishes in mind with every decision and edict he laid out.

Tunaghost, on the other hand, extended her years through the use of magic. She had, she reasoned, several very promising students whom she couldn't afford to leave with their training incomplete.

Once Tiana had left for beauty school, Tom and Della opened their home to troubled Irkens and Tallests. Occasionally Zim would pitch in, especially if they turned violent, but the family's success rate was high. One day, however, they drove off for their weekly mini-date and were crushed by an out-of-control bus. Their death was instantaneous.

After the funeral, at which there were just as many Irkens as humans, Zim refused to leave the base at all. GIR became his eyes and ears to the outside world. Concerned for her brother, Tiana moved into the home to look after him, still running her famously successful beauty salon.

Dib and Mikko visited often, along with their two children. Zim watched as they aged, Mikko's hair turning a flowing white, and Dib's scythe-hair getting long and gray. Eventually, Dib passed, followed by Mikko within a couple of years.

Zim noted the deterioration in his own body almost impassively. GIR did all he could to keep Zim comfortable and not-so-cranky, but even as he watched Tiana begin to stoop and creak, he knew for himself that his days were numbered.

…

Zim sighed, sitting in a chair at a small desk. He held in his hands one of the high-tech makeup devices he'd developed for Tiana, to make her tasks at the salon easier, but her favorite one had jammed. Even at her rickety age, Tiana had refused to give up the hands-on portion of her business, and kept sending him every broken device. It was, she said, to make him work for his keep, but he suspected she was just trying to help him feel useful.

He grumbled, digging at the makeup caked in the circuitry, but his eyes kept losing focus. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and winced. His arm hurt too now. He flexed it carefully.

A voice sounded from the entryway. "Once again you remain in here, in this dingy underground room. If I didn't forcefully drag you out of here from time to time, you'd have a layer of dust all over you."

A wry grin crossed Zim's face, but his answer was steady, as if repeating an answer for the umpteenth time. "It's been safe here, and it's been peaceful. Nobody cuts me open, nobody threatens me, nobody beats me and tries to kill me. I wasn't interested in any more adventures and injuries, you know that. Do you know, the nightmares are almost gone? I don't have more than one every few months now. It's been that way for awhile."

"Well, it's still nice to take you out every now and then." Riddick stepped in further, glancing around. "Nothing major, like the amusement park you're always fond of. The one in New Townsville's pretty good too. The Missus takes the kids there all the time. Right now she's off on a call. Giant seamonster, I heard. I'd be worried about her being five months pregnant, but this is the third child, and things have always gone well, so all that worrisome spazzing is gone."

Zim gave a raspy chuckle. "If there's a monster around, you couldn't tie her down if you had ten times your strength, even five months pregnant."

"Even NINE months pregnant." Riddick shook his head. "I think even the monster was concerned that time. You know, I swear some of them are her friends, and they just communicate through town destruction and bodily harm."

"Well they did follow her to THIS city. Maybe it's some kind of bizarre rite of passage." He winced, rubbing his arm. Flirk, it hurt!

"True." Riddick chuckled. "I can't believe I still landed someone like her. Remember the wedding? I still can't believe it happened sometimes. Did I tell you I was so nervous, I walked down the aisle and into the wall, then into the TARDIS? The Doctor was very polite, steering me in the right direction. Great friend he turned out to be, I always seem to make friends with the oddballs, but you started it so I blame you."

Zim smiled at Riddick, but it wasn't a full smile. "Riddick, you don't usually reminisce, and you just saw me recently. You're not here to say hello, are you?"

Riddick sighed. "No. How are you feeling?"

"I was feeling just fine, except my arm's been bothering me all morning."

Behind him, GIR was pretending to organize his other workstations. He glanced up, shooting a worried look at Riddick and shaking his head. Zim hadn't been fine.

Sighing again, Riddick asked, "Zim, you know how I have connections with… many people? That I've gathered through the years? Well, one of them I met shortly after those souls were freed from HIM. You've seen him around, I think, the Jamaican skeleton who's on a leash to those two children, Grim."

"Yes, Dib used to shove photos of those three in my face all the time. It was his new big discovery after his and Mikko's first child."

"Indeed. Well, he owed me for a few things I've helped him with. One of the things I asked was to be kept updated on your health… your hourglass, as it were."

Zim rubbed his arm absently. "Let me guess, time's about up."

Riddick's mouth was drawn. "You're going to suffer a massive heart attack. I've bought you enough time not to have it outright. Grim said there is no avoiding death, of course. However, he said the way you die doesn't have to be that, and I agree."

"I know that Riddick." Zim replied quietly. "You're not the only one with connections." He stared at the wall, the first hint of anxiety on his face. "She's been visiting me a lot in the last couple of weeks, you know. Just watching. Asking what I'm doing. Casually dropping little pieces of information to calm me down. She's very different than she used to be."

"I know, I noticed. You know, morflars didn't used to be the way we've known them. HIM's influence stretched far and wide, and affected them. Good thing I have the 'down low' as it were on morflars, ever since my hat became a dimensional home to three of them." He glanced up at his hat, scowling. "I STILL never officially agreed to that you know."

"I know, Riddick. I was there too, the day Selm explained it to us."

Riddick brought his attention back to Zim. "You were kind of shorted out that day, so sometimes I double check. In any case, the time I've bought you will be enough to give everyone a proper goodbye before you decide to go however you want. Like it or not, there are plenty who will want to say their piece to you, and you have plenty of little smeets who have a 'Favorite Uncle' for whatever reason. I could never see it." He smirked. "Sure, I can do the magic, but you can built them a robot in minutes. Showoff."

Zim looked at him for a minute, and then said quietly, "Please tell them goodbye for me."

Riddick's smirk faded. "Everyone? I know you're a bit of a shut-in but there are a few you should see, including Danem."

Zim opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small datapad, handing it to Riddick. "I started recording goodbyes the second time Gaz came to see me in a week. They're all here, on different files. Everyone' who's," he swallowed, "Everyone who's left."

"So, you want me to leave so I can read my farewell?" Riddick chuckled.

"You don't have one on there." Zim pushed the chair back slowly and stood, very laboriously, to his feet. GIR rushed over and supported him, helping him limp over to Riddick. "I figured you'd come nosing around beforehand." He hugged Riddick gently. He was much frailer and smaller, and GIR had to boost him to be able to hug Riddick properly.

Riddick embraced him back. "Who am I going to make old jokes about now, hmm? There goes all my jokes. I'm sure the trio on my hat will think of more though, they're pretty zany. Totally insaney, one might say."

"I'm sure Blossom and the smeets will give you plenty of fuel for joking." Zim patted Riddick's back. "You were a real jerk at first, but I'm glad we found each other."

"You were the jerk," Riddick muttered, "I just wanted to do my job and kill you is all."

Zim laughed at that. "Ah well, I never could die like everyone wanted me to. That's what the Dib said. My best failure."

"The absolute best." Riddick pulled back, and glanced down at GIR. "What of GIR? I've grown attached to his demeanor, maybe that's because all of my friends are insane. Have you left him to someone in your little will? If not, the family would love him."

"Tiana." Zim patted GIR's head. "For as long as she's alive. After that, I've tasked him with watching over Dib and Mikko's progeny. They have families of their own, and he'll be busy back and forth, but it will give him something to do."

GIR clutched Zim's hand sadly.

"Well," Riddick patted GIR's head. "You know you'll never be alone, GIR. Everyone loves you, and we wouldn't allow you to be sad for too long."

GIR nodded, still holding Zim's hand.

Zim grimaced, squeezing his arm. His face was strained. "I think… maybe… GIR could use some fresh air, Riddick?"

"GIR?" Riddick caught the bot's attention. "Wait outside a moment for me. Taral is out there, he said he was looking forward to seeing you. He brought your favorite rubber piggy, go on and see."

GIR brightened considerably. "Piggy!" He beamed, dashing to the lift and vanishing. Zim stumbled forward without him, grabbing Riddick's cloak for balance.

Riddick steadied him, and gently sat him back down. "Funny." He mused.

"What?" Zim tilted his head.

"I thought when this day would come I'd be bawling my eyes out, on the floor, unable to comprehend it. But, is it weird I'm actually a little happy? I mean, look at you. You look like a house of cards in a tornado. Hey, one left in me!" He grinned. "See, that's what I mean." He took Zim's hand. "I'll be okay."

Zim squeezed his hand, managing one more smile. "I know you will."

Riddick glanced around. "You can come out now, Gaz. I know you've been here the whole time."

Zim shook his head. "Riddick, I know she's here too, but I… I want to be alone when… and she knows too. That's why she's hiding."

"Oh. Alright. I just wanted to tell her to take care of my brother, that's all. The last thing she would want is to invoke the awesome wrath that is Riddick, yes?"

 _"I'm not afraid of a sideshow magician."_ Came a sourceless mutter.

"And I'm not afraid of octopus excrement." He gently kissed Zim's forehead. "By the way, you'll be okay too."

Zim swallowed a little. "Thank you." He squeezed Riddick's hand again.

Riddick squeezed back, before releasing. He didn't turn away as he backed into the elevator. As it rose, a single tear trailed down his face, and he sighed with a smile. "Now I said I wouldn't cry. Oh well…"


	40. Peace at Last

_"Zim."_

Gaz stared down at the shrunken, trembling Irken. His eyes were closed and his body curled in on itself, his bravado deserting as his brother left. Fear rolled off him in waves, but it didn't entice her nearly as much as it used to. If anything, it saddened her.

She shifted into the form she'd chosen for herself since Gloria's passing. She stood at about the same height as Gloria, with the same long, purple hair. Her eyes still squinted hut, however, and the hair was jagged at the edge, a tribute to her fallen adoptive father. She hoped that showing a human face and speaking with a human voice would help him.

"Zim, look at me."

He opened his eyes, still trembling.

The hurt caught her off guard, getting the better of her as she snapped, "Do you really think I'm only here for a meal?"

Zim flinched, shaking his head. "N-no, Gaz, I—UNGH!" He clutched his arm, bending forward.

Immediately she reached over, one hand grasping the back of his neck and one hand moving just over his heart. Imperceptibly, the first hand slipped through Zim's skin into his brain, cutting off the pain receptors. The second wrapped around his organs, slowing and stilling their frantic struggle.

Zim drew in deep breaths. She had bought him a little more time.

"No, Gaz." He said, a little more clearly. "I don't think that." His eyes welled up. "But I'm still afraid."

She sighed, regretting her words. Of course he knew her better than that.

"I guess I hoped our talks these last couple of weeks would help." She shook her head. "But you can't be blamed. This is your greatest fear. It will be a long time to heal that between our kinds, maybe generations."

"But it's started?" Zim looked up at her, eyes pleading. He'd heard it before, but needed it again. "Things are changing?"

Gaz released a tendril from her form, passing it in front of his face. No longer pitch black, but light gray. "Yes, Zim. Things are changing."

She pulled up a chair and sat, pulling him onto her lap. She could feel his heart shudder, but she kept herself in check.

"Zim, you once trusted me with your life when I was pitch black and fed on terror-crazed Irkens. Do you remember?" She opened her eyes past the squint, memory softening them. "How much more can you trust me now? I would give you a rest, and a gentle passing. You and I both know that even this time where you've had no crisis or pain, when you hid yourself away from the world, has not been restful." Her own heart lurched at the tear that tracked down his wrinkled face. "But even now, it's your choice Zim. I promised you long ago I wouldn't do this, and I will keep that promise unless you release me." She allowed a hint of sadness to cross her face. "But I should like to watch over you awhile longer."

Zim blinked. "Awhile longer?" Gaz averted her eyes, as his own widened. "The cooked Irken meat," he gasped, "You? But why?"

"You suffered enough," she replied, "and I owed you a great deal. I hoped to make it easier for you." She turned back to him. "You proved yourself family many times over in those days."

Zim swallowed hard, his throat thick. "You've changed a lot," he managed.

"That's what happens when you take Irkens as you were designed to, it seems." Her mind wandered over the many Irkens she had taken since leaving Zim's recovery room—more than she would have otherwise, because their shells did not regenerate once she removed their PAKs. But each had come to the end of its time, and she soothed each past its fear, allowing them to rest for months in their most peaceful, healing memories as their bodies nourished her.

He shut his eyes tightly. "I release you from your promise," he blurted in a rush, still cringing in anticipation of pain and fear.

A deep, low sigh emanated from Gaz's entire being.

 _"This is not how I would have you go. Zim, why are you so afraid? What is it that frightens you?"_ She probed gently into his thoughts, past the surface bluster and the hysterical mental shrieking he barely held back, to the soft sound of a smeet crying.

 _"Little Irken child, why are you afraid?"_ She asked gently, pulling that cry to the surface of Zim's consciousness.

"I don' wanna be alone forever," He clutched at her, his chest heaving. "I don' wanna be forgot, I don' wanna be in the dark an' nobody knows to come get me, I don' wanna be hurting, I don' wanna be gobbled up like I'm nothin' more than a snack…" He sobbed, "I'm scared, I'm so so scared."

It was painful to hear. At the same time, she couldn't help remembering the last time he had clung to her, similarly vulnerable. She cradled him, pulling into the background of his mind, Della's voice singing a lullaby.

 _"Little Irken child, you're not alone. Did you know you're not alone? And if you're not alone, how can you be forgotten? You're not just a snack. You are a hero. You helped save all the other Irkens. And look, didn't I tell you?"_ She pulled the melody to the forefront of his mind so strongly, she made him able to hear it. _"If you're so alone, what's that?"_

His eyes widened, his body going very still. "Maneem?" He asked, brokenly.

 _"I don't know. It could be."_ She reached deep into his memories, beginning to draw out images of Della walking toward him, overriding his optical input and placing his memories right before his eyes. _"Is that her?"_

"Maneem!" He cried joyfully. "Maneem!" He reached his arms out to empty air, circling them tightly. "I missed you so much!"

 _"Look, there's more!"_ She called to mind for him Mikko, hands tucked into the pouch of her black hoodie, smiling over at him, and Tiana advancing with a makeup kit. Tom, knocking on the door to come in for dinner after a long day at the mechanic shop. She called up, with no small amount of sorrow, Dib, tackling the alien to give him a noogie, and having to then explain himself as to what a noogie was, and that it didn't come out of noses and wasn't contagious.

Zim's face slipped into a rapturous joy she'd come to recognize as complete acceptance of the memories as realities. Gently, she kissed the top of his head, and drew him inside herself. As she did, she heard a small whisper from his thoughts, from the core of Zim's being.

"Thank you Gaz, my sister."

She stood there in Zim's underground base, both alone and not alone, for a very long time. Then, in a blink, she vanished, leaving his room empty, save for a broken makeup device on a worn desk.

….

Riddick stepped out of the elevator, knowing exactly what was happening in the room below. He walked out the door for what was surely the final time, and shut it behind. Immediately he was greeted by hearty laughter from two voices. GIR's high-pitched giggle competed with that of another child.

He turned to them, a smile crossing his lips, and immediately the child turned, glomping him in the gut. "Dad!" The child proclaimed joyfully.

It was a small child with light green skin and a maroon cap with matted orange locks crowding out from underneath. The cap had two holes, through which two nubby antennae sprouted. He grinned with sharp teeth, looking up with maroon eyes shaped like his mother's. Riddick gently patted him on the head as he picked himself up off the pavement with a groan. "Take it easy Taral, Daddy's not as durable as Mommy, remember?"

Taral laughed. "Sorry Daddy, I always forget." He hopped up, hovering. "I'm playin' wit' GIR! You gonna come play too, huh? Huh?"

Riddick chuckled, reminded of himself at that age. Too much energy for his own good, but his son could fly and topple a building if he wanted. "Yes, yes Tara. I'll be over soon."

"What about Best Uncle Zim?" Taral pressed.

Riddick paused, then patted Taral's cheek. "He'll be busy. I'll explain later."

"Oh, ok. Then we go back to Mommy an' Mimi?"

"Yes, I suppose they've handled the sea monster by now."

"When do I get to fight monsters, Daddy?"

"Soon." Riddick bopped his son's nose. "Remember Mimi's not much older than you, you'll knock 'em dead, I just know it. You have great teachers."

Taral beamed happily. "Yay! I'll fight good for you Dad, an' for Mommy! I'll make you real proud!"

Riddick picked him up in a tight hug. "You already have, my son."

Smiling, Taral squeezed Riddick, who gasped for air. Taral loosened his grip, giggling. "Sorry again!"

"It's quite alright." Riddick patted his ribs to check for fractures. "Go on, play with GIR, I'll be over in a few minutes."

Needing no further encouragement, Taral zipped back.

Taral had hardly left Riddick's side when another presence took his place. He turned, coming face to face with Gaz. She opened one eye toward Riddick. "Walk with me for a few minutes," she said tonelessly, and turned away from him, trudging down the sidewalk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter would definitely be "Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Mama Cass or "Run" by Snow Patrol…


	41. A Bright Future

Taral gave a wave and called, "Hi Aunt Gazzy!"

Riddick followed Gaz, shrugging. "I swear that 'Gazzy' just caught on, I didn't teach it."

"Sure you didn't." Gaz rolled her eyes. They walked in silence for a few minutes before she spoke up, "I broke back through into my own dimension awhile back. I was finally able to learn more about my kind, when I could pin one down long enough to answer my questions. They're not very friendly, but several of them are getting lighter. The balance is shifting back toward symbiosis, slowly. Although some still enjoy the taste of fear."

Riddick nodded. "The trio in my hat who popped through my floor one day—something about making a wrong turn at Albuquerque, I don't know what it is with that town but they need to change their directions—filled me in a bit as well. They were completely white, is that how you all used to be?"

"So I gather. Albinos have been an aberration to us for millennia, but it seems they were the holdouts all along." She gave him a sideways glance. "Do you know, I remember serving on the third moon of Jaklar… as an Irken footsoldier?"

"When did you find time to do that?"

"Before I was born," Gaz said quietly.

"Well that makes perfect sense." Riddick rubbed his forehead. "You're starting to sound like other people I talk to."

"But it does make sense, I just never understood it before. Every Irken I consumed, all their memories stayed with me. They're all there, every single one of them. I pushed it all back because I didn't understand it. I was finally able to ask among the Morflars. It seems we're quite a bit more than just carnivorous shadows." She turned to face him fully, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. "We are you. We are a collection of your thoughts and feelings and memories, if we can find you before you die, with one set chosen to take leadership of the collection."

Riddick opened his mouth to reply, but it just sort of hung open in realization as her words sank in. He used his hand to shut it, blinking. "And you have… how many Irken lives in your noggin?"

"You really want to know?" She arched a brow.

"Hundreds I assume," he goggled.

"More." She turned to keep walking. "The chosen personality and memory of one of them is given at birth, when two Morflars pass through each other, the father leaving behind a piece of himself for the body, and the mother imparting a memory set of her choosing into the new life."

"Wow," Riddick mused, "And you can do that how many times?"

"Gestation is a lengthy period of several decades, but as many times as we can tolerate being in one anothers' presence." She took a slow breath. "I was still a flarling when you and I met, premature even. But I am about to come into maturity soon. And at such time I may find a mate and produce flarlings of my own."

"Hey," Riddick grinned, "Maybe I can even be your matchmaker. That would go over well, I mean I think I've picked up a few things about romance. Got three kids, probably will have more. Just that smooth, you know?"

Gaz rolled her eyes. "Riddick, you are the last person in the universe I would come to for matchmaking help, not that any other Morflar would even take the time to explain their inner workings to you. All your talking and you haven't even asked the most basic question, why am I telling you what is essentially the secret to a Morflar's existence?"

"Alright then, I'll bite since I don't know if I even want to know how that all works. Why are you telling me this?"

She looked at him, head tilted to the side a bit, and said softly, "Because you don't have to be so sad. There's every chance in the world you'll see Zim again. He is spectacularly terrible at dying."

Riddick's expression froze for a moment, before splitting into a wide smile. He chuckled, "Oh I know Gaz, you think I needed to ask?" He gave a knowing look. "I knew even then, in that room somehow, it wouldn't be the last time. Zim has cheated death so many times, Grim has about given up trying."

"Funny how whatever tries to kill him ends up dying or becoming his protector," she agreed.

"Mhmm. I'll be sure to include this detail to whom it may concern." He flipped through the datapad in his hands. "Some of them won't be around anymore, but I think it will lesson the blow. And now I can tell the children Uncle Zim's just gone on vacation for awhile."

"For a few decades at least. He'll be confused and disoriented when he sees you again, give him time. For now, he's at rest. He's reliving every good and comforting memory he's ever made, and the bad ones are fading away." Her face softened. "He deserves that."

"I'll keep that in mind. Reminds me of a friend of mine who goes through that. Rebirths himself, always disoriented but he always comes back together. If we know Zim like we should, he'll be the same."

"He'll have a different name though. All Morflars are given a new name. I already have the perfect one for him." A small smile played on her face. "Do you want to know?"

"Yes, go on."

"His name will be Zayg. It's derived from one of your older words, one of the ones lost to the ages. Zaygam. It means 'One who is resilient, who never gives up, and always stands back to their feet.' "

"Sounds about right." Riddick nodded. "Nice that you kept the Z. Thought I don't know, Riddick's always stuck with me. I wonder if a different name would suit." He looked at Gaz knowingly.

She glared. "Don't push it blockhead. I still don't like you very much."

"You'll like your son very much, especially when he realizes who I am." He smirked. "But of course, that's a long ways away."

"Yeah." She gestured behind them. "Well your kid's back there playing with GIR, Irk only knows what trouble they're getting in. Better sort it out before your wife slingshots you past the moon."

"Oh come now Gaz, what kind of trouble could—" an empty car slammed into the pavement just behind him. "—I'll be going now."

"Yeah. Get going Magician." As Riddick turned, she called, "Riddick?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Hmm?"

She hesitated, as if not sure she should say, then sighed, "Your Miestro would be proud of you. And Zim was fiercely proud to be your brother."

"D'awwww," Riddick teased, "I'd hug you, but as you said, I'm a blockhead who shouldn't push things. Unless you're feeling generous just this one time."

"In your dreams," Gaz growled. She dipped her head. "I'll be seeing you." And like that, she dropped her human shape and vanished, leaving light gray wisps to dissipate behind her.

Riddick smiled, before dashing back. "Please don't be too much property damage, Blossom's going to kill me and I still need to deliver all this news. What a day!" He quickly returned to the house. Taral stood there, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Sorry Daddy, the piggy went under a car an I got it... sorry."

Riddick sighed. "We'll send them a check later." He took Taral's hand and held one out to GIR. "We have things to do, yes?"

"Ok Daddy!" Taral beamed.

GIR took Riddick's hand, looking around. "Where's Masta?"

"Zim went to get better, GIR. You aren't going to be able to see him for a bit, but don't worry, he'll be back. You'll be with everyone else until then. How about a sleepover with Taral? You can go back with Tiana tomorrow."

"Yay!" Taral cheered. "Sleepovers! Those're real fun!"

"You trust Masta's brother, GIR?"

GIR replied instantly, "Trust Masta's brother. Even if you did trick me wiv Masta's voice. Tiana told on you."

"Hey, that was a different situation. I DID need to save a world you know. No more lies, promise."

GIR took his hand, holding tightly.

Riddick smiled. "Hold on tight."

"Teleport, teleport, teleport!" Taral chanted. "Love teleport!"

"Yes, we're going to see Auntie Tiana at her beauty shop first. Be gentle, Taral, remember."

"Gentle, yeah yeah, I get to dress up again?"

"I won't have a choice in the matter." Riddick began to glow, the last sound down the street before they vanished, the sound of a child shouting with joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END THE END THE END THE END
> 
> So. It's a little hard to believe it's over now. A little sad for me, but this has been fantastic. Thank you so much for the ride. I'd love to hear an overall critique from everyone if you have the time. Once again, you have all been fantastic and wonderful, thank you for joining the ride with me.


End file.
